


More Than A Fox

by supersegways117



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: AU, Adoption, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Eventual Romance, F/M, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Interspecies, Out of Character, Primitive Culture, Trust, old world, wildehopps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:02:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 155,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23192074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supersegways117/pseuds/supersegways117
Summary: In an age where predator still hunts prey, Nick Wilde is a unique mammal. A lonely, trustworthy fox who's never given a chance to prove himself. That is, until he stumbles upon three rabbit kits buried in the snow. Can Nick show the world that he is more than just a fox?
Relationships: Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps/Nick Wilde
Comments: 422
Kudos: 639





	1. Fortunate Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> This will be my first story I've ever posted. I will appreciate any feedback and criticism given to the work.  
> I enjoy writing as a recreational hobby and am hoping others will enjoy this to.  
> As far as the story goes, it takes place in a different era of course, and Nick will be a bit OOC due to his background in the story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In an age where predator still hunts prey, Nick Wilde is a unique mammal. A lonely, trustworthy fox who's never given a chance to prove himself. That is, until he stumbles upon three rabbit kits buried in the snow. Can Nick show the world that he is more than just a fox?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be my first story I've ever posted. I will appreciate any feedback and criticism given to the work.  
> I enjoy writing as a recreational hobby and am hoping others will enjoy this to.  
> As far as the story goes, it takes place in a different era of course, and Nick will be a bit OOC due to his background in the story.

**More Than a Fox**

**Fortunate Discovery**

Nick had enough food and supplies stored up for the season. He wasn’t sure why he wanted to leave his warm den in the middle of this frigid, snowy winter, but for some reason he felt the urge to leave the safety of his home and stretch his legs. 

He looked around at his warm den; a small fire crackled in his dug out fireplace, keeping the fox hole warm. The den was relatively small due to Nick having to dig it out himself; the work gave him an incentive to go for that “cozy” hole in the ground look for his home. Nonetheless he was highly satisfied with it. 

Making and furnishing a place does that, and with a swell of pride he could look at his place and rightfully say ‘ _mine_.’ He had even made his home’s bed out of the fabrics he traded with the racoons and weasels that he occasionally would see in the forest. 

Nick loved taking the bolts of fabric that he would trade his fish and bird meat for, and weave them into warm blankets and clothing for himself. His father, when he was still alive to show Nick the ins and outs of being a fox in this dog eat dog world, taught him the trade of sewing and knitting. It was one of the things Nick prided himself on the most. _Not just a fox,_ Nick could hear his father say. 

Nick’s mother and father made it very clear that this world was dangerous and that most mammals would do whatever they had to do to survive. But they wanted Nick to remember that he could be more than what the world saw him as. 

He didn’t have to be a sly trickster or a cruel predator. And for this reason, Nick learned how to catch fish and birds so he wouldn’t need to hurt other mammals for food. He would scavenge for berries, roots, and bugs, and he would make his own clothes from fabrics. 

_More than what the world sees you as,_ he heard his father say again.

Nick dressed in a light gray tunic that he had finished stitching together the previous night. 

_Not bad, right dad?_ He thought to himself as he slid the cloth on. 

He gathered up a bag for any foraging he might do, as well as his trusty red bandana his mother stitched together for him when he was still a kit. He often found himself clutching at it when thinking of his parents. 

“Hmmm, forage bag… check, warm clothing… check, trusty bandana… check… stunning good looks and a charming smile… Double check.” 

After counting off everything he needed for his little winter expedition Nick said goodbye to his empty den and went into the forest.

\-----

It was not a beautiful snowy day. Calling it frigid would be putting it mildly, the snow was about a foot deep and the wind had a strong chill, but when Nick had the impulse to leave the den he had to go or risk going stir crazy. He reasoned it was a side effect of being lonely since his parents had passed. 

He looked up to the sky in thought, the stars were out in all their glory _… Oh._

He realized what was bothering him, _It must be getting close to when mom got sick._

The memories were never easy for the tod. When his mother became ill, there was little they could do but wait it out, and when the illness persisted, it went from waiting it out to keeping the vixen comfortable. 

She died a week later. 

Nick’s father was so heartbroken over her passing that it didn’t take long for his father’s health to decline and follow his wife’s path soon after. A tear couldn’t help but roll down the fox’s cheek. 

The memories were now flooding back with a full force.

\-----

A young tod, fifteen years old sat next to a bed with a sickly older tod, their green eyes locking on each other.

“Son, I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ll be stickin’ around much longer.” 

John Wilde hated saying those words to his son. The boy was too young to be on his own, but the fact of the matter wasn’t pretty- he was dying. And with no one else to look out for the teen fox, he knew this was the last chance to help his son. To let him know that he had value and not to give up on the world.

Nick was hunched over his father lying in a bed, he clutched onto his father’s paw, “Dad, you can’t just leave me here! I- I-”

“Listen Nicky, you’re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for-'' his words were cut short with a sharp string of coughs and wheezes before he continued. “Me- me and your mom raised you, and you have her heart and my paws, and a wit sharper than both of ours, we-” 

Another bout of sickly coughs ensued. “We know you can make it on your own. Sh- she was so proud of you Nicky.” He looked his son in the eyes, “I’m so proud of the mammal you became, son. More than you’ll ever know. We both love you more than anythin’ in this world.”

John’s body relaxed. “I’m feeling tired, Nicky, I think I’m gonna sleep for a bit, ok?” with that John closed his eyes.

“Dad, no.. no! No, don't sleep! Please talk to me! DAD! No…

\-----

After that he had to bury his father next to his mother. 

The following week he left their den with whatever he could carry and set off on his own. The memory faded to the back of his mind. If one had been watching, they may have noticed the wet trail that ran down the tod’s snout. 

He was so appreciative of the time he had with his parents, but the last 5 years had been lonesome without them. Oh how he wished to see another fox! Most animals, despite his unorthodox way of living, would avoid him. 

They still saw a shifty, dangerous fox. Nick’s paw clutched his bandana before using it to wipe his eyes. He looked at his surroundings. While caught up in his thoughts he had inadvertently walked further than he was expecting to... by a mile. 

“Of course,” a tinge of bitterness and frustration was present in his voice, “Of course I would be so stupid. I-” Nick’s sentence died in his throat and his body stiffened at what his eyes had just caught. _Oh sweet Karma… this isn’t good._

The crimson colored spot in the snow was small, but it was undeniably there. He leaned in to give it a whiff to be sure, _blood._

It was only a small patch of it, but it was without a doubt that sweet iron scent that came from mammals. He gave it another deep inhale with his canine nose, _rabbit_. 

Nick became pensive. Normally, he tried to avoid prey since they would run from him screaming or do their best to look like a threat. Rabbits, being the natural enemies of foxes, were certainly not what Nick wanted to deal with. 

_Okay. Okay, Nick, this is the part where you turn back home, stoke the fire and curl up in a ball in your warm comfy bed._

Despite his inner insistence, he couldn’t budge from the spot. 

_Okay foot, just move that way_. His brain signalled towards the house, but he still couldn’t move. 

Nick let out an exasperated gasp, why couldn’t he move? And then the words hit him, 

_Nicky dear,_ his mother's voice was clear in his mind- _You can show the world that a fox can be more than what they see us as. Show them Nicky._

Nick remembered the family creed that his mom and dad made him say when he was nine. The Wilde’s Honor. 

“ _I, Nicholas Wilde, promise to be brave, loyal, helpful, and trustworthy.”_ The words echoed in his head, and, with a sigh, Nick took another breath of the blood and began to follow the scent. 

It didn’t take long for him to see another splotch of blood on the path, followed by another and another. He whined in discomfort, _I hope they’re still okay._

The scent trail became thicker as he followed, and it wasn’t just one, other rabbit scents began to fill his nostrils. 

“I guess they’re ok, if they have others with them...” He mumbled to himself not fully believing his own words. 

He was about to turn back when his eye caught something in the snow. _Fur?_ He crouched to examine the little bundle of fur, only to realize that it wasn’t a stray tuft, but attached to something buried in the snow. 

The fox began to easily dig through the snowpile, where his paw found a little frame underneath the white powder. The smallest rabbit doe he had ever seen was lying still in his paws, she was cold, her sandy brown fur and tiny bit of clothing far too inadequate to stave off the weather. 

On her head she had a sizable gash that was obviously the source of the blood trail he had followed. _How did this little thing even make it this long out here?_

He looked back down at the snowpile to see a few other still bodies lying in the cold snow. It was clear that they had been sharing their warmth before they fell asleep and the snow started to build over them. 

The fox surmised that they must’ve been running from something until they tuckered themselves out. Nick quickly pulled them out from the heat sucking powder and into his arms with the other bunny. Three little rabbit kits in total. 

Nick bundled them up together in between his arms and tried to figure out his next step. 

_What in Karma’s name am I gonna do with three rabbit kits! I’m not exactly trained in fluff management…_

Whatever his worries, Nick knew he couldn’t leave them. No, he was beyond the point of no return now that he found them, his parents would be so disappointed if he had left them in the snow- it would be the same as leaving them to die. 

_But what am I supposed to do, take them home and play nurse?_ He thought, before tensing up… 

“Oh no…” 

At that thought, Nick’s decision was made, and with an empty foraging bag (soon to be a makeshift bunny carrier,) and a red bandana clutched tightly in one paw and three newfound guests, Nick made his way home.


	2. Introductions to be Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a friendly fox, timid rabbits and trust building

**Introductions**

Three little fluff balls, still and quiet, rested comfortably on Nick’s bed. 

The fireplace was stoked and the blankets were soft and comforting. Nick got to work quickly, first checking the gash on the sandy brown doe he had found. He cleaned and patched it with a linen cloth he had previously stitched together. 

Nick couldn’t help but smile, his stitchwork was always used to serve himself, this was the first time that he was able to use it to help another mammal, his father would have called this a milestone in his son’s life. 

Satisfied with his work, Nick checked over the other two bunnies. Only now did he get a good look at them all. They were all so small to him, the first bunny, the sandy brown doe with the injury, was the smallest. Nick could easily hold her entire frame in his two paws. The other two weren’t much bigger. One, a grey buck with a black splotch on his eye, and the other a snow white doe with little black specks on her face. Both were larger than the sandy brown rabbit, but only by a hair’s width. 

_ Or is it a hare’s width?  _ Nick asked himself, before huffing at his own bad joke. 

_ Sad when even I recognize how bad my humor has gotten. _

The bunnies were easily carried back in Nick’s foraging bag, but the sack was not meant to maintain heat, they were still so cold and the cuddling they had done with each other just didn’t seem to be enough. 

_ Am I really going to try to warm them up myself?  _

Nick rolled the question around in his head before seeing the most pathetic shiver from the sandy brown doe. With that pitiable display the last of his walls broke. He gently pulled himself up on his bed before wrapping himself in a ball, tail tip to nose, with the bunnies in the center. 

Night was now upon them and Nick was tired; he curled tighter around the shivering bunnies. The little fluffs shivering slowly ceased, and Nick was finally able to drift off to sleep with the warming kits. 

\-----

Morning came quickly, too quickly for Nick. He had never claimed to be a morning mammal and on account of the fact that coffee wouldn’t be invented for centuries to come, he never would. 

Normally, the fox wouldn’t even stir in the mornings, being nocturnal would normally mean rising at the crack of noon, but this morning was different. Something was itching his ear, or... tickling, maybe? Either way, he was waking up to the strange sensation, whatever it was. 

He kept still, trying to figure out what was causing the tickling to his ear. It was soft, not really irritating, but-  _ Nibbling.  _

_ Something is nibbling on my ear.  _

With this revelation Nick’s eyes shot open, only to see the cutest sandy brown rabbit, still asleep, unconsciously nibbling at the tip of his ear. She was apparently a rough sleeper, during the night she managed to have crawled over her siblings and up against the neck of the fox before cuddling to the side of Nick’s face and somehow managing to find his ear (or, in her mind, some dream snack.)

The fox chortled at the view he had in the corner of his eye. The other two bunnies eyes began to creak open at Nick’s half-suppressed laugh. It didn’t take long for the tired eyes of the grey and white rabbits to go from tired to fearful and alert. 

_ Oh yeah, that’s right I’m a fox… _

“Hey little fluffs don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Nick tried to give a smile to the little bunnies, unintentionally showing off too many of his canines. The eyes of the two rabbits widened fearfully, and a scared squeak came from the white doe. Nick quickly closed his maw. 

_ So much for a good first impression. _

Nick spoke as softly as he could, “I- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare y- OW!” 

Apparently the little conversation between the two rabbits and Nick wasn’t enough to wake up the sandy furred bun who was still nibbling- or in the present, munching on Nick’s ear. At the fox’s yelp the other two rabbits trembled a bit more. 

“See,” Nick said trying to ease their tension with a smile that was careful to not show teeth, “maybe you guys are more dangerous to me than I am to you.” 

Nick let out an airy laugh at his own humor, he simply couldn’t help but to joke. Nick took a paw to gently pet the brown doe biting his ear in her sleep. “I think this one is dreaming of the carrot farm, right fluffs?” 

The two little rabbits were still staring wide eyed at the stranger. They were puzzled at the mammal before them, they had initially thought he was a wolf, but no wolf had ever acted like this! And why did it keep calling them ‘fluffs?’ 

The grey buck, without taking his wide eyes off of the strange, ruddy not-wolf attempted to whisper, and quite poorly at that, to his sister, “wh- what is this thing, Ollie?” 

In a somehow even less suppressed whisper the sister responded, “SHUSH, Ashie, he’s right there!!”

_ Oh brother.  _ Nick’s eyes almost rolled out of his head at the two bunnies. 

“You two aren’t going to save me from this vicious bunny that’s trying to turn me into a sleepy rabbit snack, are you?!” Nick exaggerated in feigned distress. 

Before the bunnies could respond Nick continued his dramatics, “Woe is me! To meet such a fate, I’m nothing but a tasty morsel to a cute little rabbit doe!” He did a little glance at the other two rabbits to see their reactions. 

The boy, presumably ‘Ashie,’ had a face of confusion at the scene, the girl however had a wide grin. _ Gotcha,  _ Nick thought. And before he could continue his dramatics the white doe burst into giggles at the scene of little Cotton taking on this big creature. 

“And now you’re laughing at my terrible fate!” Nick said with a pout, but even he couldn’t hide his smile.

The boy bunny, finally caught on too and even he couldn't contain his little laughs at Nick’s drama show either. “Mister what’re you doing, Cotton’s not gonna eat ya!” 

Nick was glad his little actions were able to disarm the fears of the rabbit, even if he had to look like a goofball. Truth be told, Nick felt happier in that moment than he did in a long time. 

When _ was the last time I got to joke like this? _ He thought. 

Nick let out a chuckle, “Well you better tell her that, my ear is getting all slobbery!”

At about that moment the nibbling rabbit’s eyes began to creak open. “Wh- where am I?”

“Cotton!” The white doe, Ollie, said with a laugh. “You’re biting the Mister’s ear!”

“The Mister’s ear…” at that she looked down to see the red creature her sibling was referring to. “O- oh, HI! I’M COTTON I’M SOWWY ABOUT YOUR EAR MISTER! SOMETIMES WHEN I SLE-”

The little brown doe rambled on, obviously not even thinking about the fact that Nick was some strange creature she had never even seen before. “Hey cottontail, calm down I’m not mad at you.” 

“Oh! I’m glad! I don’t like it when people are mad at me! I want everyone to be happy!” 

Nick was taken aback by the cute little doe’s innocent statement. Not many mammals were like that, and Dammit the world would be a better place if everyone had that kind of attitude. 

With a smile Nick said, “I like that too, you just made me very happy.” Now with all three bunnies awake, it was probably time to get some answers. “I’d love to keep calling you guys fluffs but what are your names?”

The three bunnies gathered up next to each other, the fox was still balled up around them, and although they didn’t feel that he was dangerous like the wolves they had run into in the past, he was still a stranger. After a silent moment the boy bunny shyly said, “Y-you’re a stranger…” 

“Hmmm,” Nick audibly hummed. 

_ These are smart kids _ , Nick thought. __

“I guess you’re right, so I’ll tell you who I am first and then you can decide if we’re still strangers, does that sound fair?” 

The three rabbits huddled together and whispered to each other, again too audibly to hide anything from Nick. They broke their circle and nodded in agreement to Nick’s question. 

The fox started his introductions, “Well, my name is Nicholas Piberius Wilde-” Snickering could be heard from the three bunnies, “Wait, what’s so funny?”

“Pi-Piberius!?” the little bunnies kept giggling at Nick’s middle name.

“Hey! I’ll have you know that Piberius is a cool middle name! My dad gave it to me and he was the raddest mammal who ever lived!” Nick said in faux indignation, a small smile wisping on his lips. 

“Anyways, you can call me Nick if you want, and this is my house.” The kits began to look around, just now taking in where they were. “I like to make things with my paws and go on walks and sing and, oh my favorite thing is to eat berries, especially blueberries!” Nick’s face looked content with the thought of tasty blueberries occupying his mind. He looked back at the little ones, “Well, am I still a stranger?”

“J-just one second!” the white doe said, they gathered back together in their huddle. Poorly concealed whispers ensued once more, “Well, what should we do??”

“I like him!” Cotton said with glee. “His ear tasted kinda funny, but he’s really nice AND HE LIKES BLUEBERRIES TOO!” And I love blueberries, so I know he can’t be a bad mammal and-”

“Ok Cotton, I get it, I get it! What do you think Ashie?”

“He, I- I don’t really know. He hasn’t hurt us so that’s good and he is funny an’ not just weird funny but funny funny too!”

“Ok, I guess that’s good enough.” The three rabbits broke their huddle. “Ok Mister, we don’t think you’re a stranger anymore so we can tell you.” Nick smiled at the little rabbits and their bravery. The white doe with speckles took a deep breath and finally told Nick her name. “My name is Ollie.”

“And I’m Ashes,”

“And I’m Cotton!”

  
Nick smiled at this, he got the little bunnies to open up to him, but he knew he had a lot of ways to go and a lot more questions he wanted answered, but that could wait until later, he had a more pressing matter for the little kits.

“Well, Ollie, Ash, and Cottontail, you guys wouldn’t happen to be hungry would you?”


	3. Rumbly Tummies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A fluffy prelude to eventual explanations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thanks for the reception this story has gotten, I've received very helpful writing advice on how to better format the paper! Hope everyone is staying safe and has a good day :)

**Rumbly Tummies**

At the mere mention of food, three empty stomachs growled more fiercely than the predator that stood before them ever could! Nick chuckled and cheerily said, “Nevermind, I think I have my answer!” Nick uncurled himself from the three rabbit kits on the bed and proceeded to a little enclave in the wall of the den where he stored his winter supplies.

Nick had stocked up well this year, it had been a plentiful season for berries of all kinds, and, in turn, even more insects. He even managed to find a patch of wild potatoes in a clearing by his forest this year. It was as if the forest knew he would have company this season. Naturally, he also had plenty of fish and bird meat stored as well, but immediately discarded that as an option for his present guests. 

Nick wanted to prepare a proper meal for his new bunny companions, but, judging by the deafening roar of their pint-sized bodies, a properly prepared meal wasn’t in the cards. They would want something quickly. 

So instead, Nick took three potatoes and nimbly sliced them up into cubes with his claws. The diced up tubers would make a very filling meal, so without further thought they were placed in a water pot and set to boil over his small fireplace. 

They would take a little while to cook, so to fill in the gap Nick generously filled three wooden bowls with an assortment of blackberries, raspberries and even some of his treasured blueberries for his kit guests. 

_ Be strong Nick, they’re hungry and there will be more blueberries in the Spring.  _ After mentally fortifying himself for his unfathomable loss, Nick brought the three bowls from his storage enclave and to his den where the kits would be waiting for him on the- 

_ And they’re not on the bed _ . Nick felt a tinge of panic. But before rash conclusions could be drawn, Nick heard a slight commotion across the room followed by a-

“Hey Mister Nick!” Nick looked in the direction of his sewing table to see Ollie and Ashes attempting to dress Cotton in one of his winter tunics. Currently though, only her ears had found their way out of one of the sleeves. 

She had obviously been trying to find the opening for the head, something that should have been an easy task. Instead, Cotton had somehow burrowed herself into one of the long arm sleeves, and managed to get stuck with only twitchy long ears sticking out of one of the tunic’s cuffs.

Cotton’s voice was a little muffled as she spoke from the tunic’s sleeve, “Mister Nick is that you?! You have beautiful clothes! A-and they’re really, really soft!! and-”

_ Adorable, dumb bunny,  _ Nick thought. To Nick’s credit he really tried not to laugh at the scene. However, he had a very short fleeting fear that they had run out of the den when he had his back turned... And with the mixture of relief and the silly, graceless scene of the rabbit stuck in his shirtsleeve like a netted fish, the belly laugh could not be subdued. A series of guffaws took over the fox’s body as he tried to speak to the rabbit. 

“Cottontail, you’re gonna be the death of me!” Nick said, wiping away a happy tear. 

_ When had I been this happy?  _ Nick thought as he approached the sewing table. The question was answered by an old memory. 

\-----

In an instant, the fox found himself back at his parents' den, a voice oh so familiar to Nick was filling his ears. A much younger Nick sat on a sewing table, strikingly similar to the one he currently owned, and looked at the older tod in front of him. 

“One day son, you’ll have paws like mine.” 

John Wilde was kneeled before Nick, a needle and thread skillfully patching a hole in the forest green tunic the fox kit was wearing. “And when that day comes Nicky, I know you’ll make your old dad proud.”

Young Nick looked up at his father in awe, “Dad, do you really think that I’ll be able to sew like you!?”

John chuckled, “I’ve no doubt that you’ll have my skills Nicky,” he smiled widely at his boy, “but that’s not what I’m sayin’.”

Nick looked at his father with confusion, what else could he mean?

John Smiled at his boy, before letting out a bit of a sigh, “I know you’ll be able to sew my boy, but it’s not always ‘bout what you do, but  _ who _ you do it for.” John threaded the last stitch into young Nick’s newly repaired tunic and smiled at his boy, “And that’s why I know you’ll make your old pa proud.”

Young Nick didn’t fully understand what John had meant then, but he couldn’t help but smile at his hero and relish in the thought:  _ Paws like yours. _

\-----

_ Paws like yours.  _

An old memory, one that was left untouched for far too long, and one that made the little rabbit on his sewing table that was stuck in his tunic’s sleeve all the more sweeter. _ I won't let you down, dad. _

“Ok Cottontail, hold still.” Nick shook the sleeve until the rabbit started to slowly come loose from the fabric before unceremoniously plopping out of the sleeve and onto her rear on the table.

The diminutive bunny looked up at the fox in front of her, “Mister Nick! You saved me!”

“Oh yes, from the dastardly shirt sleeve.” And without thinking, Nick reached out with his clawed paw and booped the bunny on her snout. Cotton giggled at the fox’s antics. “Why don’t we grab something for you three to.. eat...”

It appeared that Ashes and Ollie had already found the berries that Nick had brought for them and decided to help themselves while enjoying their sisters’ hijinks with the fox. 

_ I guess dinner and a show,  _ Nick thought with amusement _.  _ And apparently, as if it was some kind of cuteness competition, their furry cheeks were stained purple from the berries.

Nick feigned a serious face, “Ok fluffs, I had three bowls of berries before, and now I only see one, you two woudln’t happen to know where the other bowls have gone, would you?”

“Oh no, um… no, we never saw them..” Ash sputtered trying to hide his and his sister’s bowls behind his back.

“I- I’m... allergic to berries!” Ollie said quickly (and very unconvincingly.)

“Ok grey and speckles, we’re gonna have to work on your excuses because that was just sad. And besides, the evidence is undeniable!” Nick exclaimed while taking the third bowl of berries and placing it in Cotton’s paws. “Right Cottontail?” 

“R-Right, Mister Nick!” She said as she began to munch on a pawful of blueberries.

“In fact,” Nick continued with a dramatic courtroom flair, “the evidence is written all over your faces!” Ollie and Ash looked at each other's purple stained faces before gasping. “But I suppose, I could let you off with a warning this time…” 

The two bunnies simultaneously shook their heads in fervent agreement with the fox’s offer of leniency. “BUT, I want you all to answer some questions, and that means you too cottontail.”

Judging by their quickly saddened faces, they must’ve already had an idea of what Nick was wanting to ask. “We… we don’t wanna talk about it,” Ashes said dejectedly. 

Cotton subconsciously rubbed the patch that Nick put over the gash on her head the night before. Something had clearly happened that they did not want to talk about. 

_ Hmm _ “Well, it wouldn’t be fair, would it?” Nick asked. The bunnies looked at him, tears were beginning to well up in their eyes. “So tell you what, if you guys answer my questions, then I’ll answer any questions you have for me, sound fair?”

The three bunny kits looked conflicted, it appeared that they had all kinds of questions they wanted to ask Mister Nick. For example, what are you? Since they still hadn’t a clue other than he was a not-wolf and definitely a not-bunny. So, after sharing reassuring looks with each other they nodded yes to Nick’s offer..

“Ok, good,” Nick said with a reassuring smile of his own, “but first let's eat something for breakfast.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is short, will work on increasing length of chapters in the future :)


	4. Answers Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questions need to be asked. Explanations are in order. An opening of hearts must be done. Part 1 of 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a tough chapter to write. I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless.

**Answers Part I**

The kits sat on the bed with soft, warm dices of potatoes. Nick had sprinkled a white crystal-like substance on the small spuds that gave the bunnies a flavor they’ve never tasted before. 

Berries and salted potatoes were not a meal fit for a king, but it did just fine when it came to intensely hungry bunnies. 

Nick watched the bunnies eat to their heart's content. He could wait for answers when the bowls were empty and their appetites sated. So until then, he sat patiently and attempted to gather his thoughts together. 

So many questions he wanted to ask, yet he was more focused on his company. He hadn’t ever made a meal for another mammal and he couldn't help but feel a swell of pride in his chest as he watched the rabbit kits hungrily eat up the cooked potatoes.

“I’m sooooo full!!” Cotton exclaimed as she finished off her breakfast. Ollie nodded enthusiastically, and Ashes loudly burped his agreement.

“Sweet Karma, I’ll take that as a compliment, Grey.” Nick said, chuckling at the grey buck.

Ashes looked confused, “Why do you keep calling me Grey?”

“Well, calling you another color wouldn’t make sense now would it, Grey? Just like it wouldn’t make sense to call Speckles there Stripes or Cottontail something like Leather Butt.” 

Nick looked at the kit, “It’s just a little name that I think fits you, you don’t like it?”

“I guess… but, it's not my name.” Ashes said, still not catching on.

“Ashie! Mister Nick is giving us nicknames.” Ollie clarified for her brother, “I’m Speckles because of my speckly fur and your Grey ‘cause- well, you’re grey.”

_ Oh brother.  _ Nick mentally sighed before agreeing with the white speckled doe, “They're not as fun when you gotta explain them, but yes.” 

Nick smiled, “I like you three and those nicknames just felt right.” 

“YOU LIKE US MISTER NICK!?! I LIKE YOU TOO!! Does this mean we’re friends!?! THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY I-”

As the smallest bun rambled on in excitement, Nick was trying to find the best way to ask his first question. “Cotton... Cottontail! Yes I think we’re friends too, ok?” The rabbit kit squeaked in glee and leaped at one of Nick’s arms and began to hug it fiercely. 

Nick was taken by surprise at the action.  _ Fearless kit,  _ Nick thought as he affectionately started to pet the top of her head.

“Cottontail, you know as your friend I want to help you, right?” The sandy brown doe nodded her head against his arm. “Do you think you three could tell me why you were out in the middle of the forest by yourselves?”

The doe’s body quivered slightly at the question, Nick noticed her siblings subconsciously lean into each other for comfort. The bunnies had clearly been traumatized, and in an attempt to calm her down Nick began to gently pet the poor rabbit’s ears. Smoothly, he raked his paws down the long appendages, all while whispering comforts to her. Slowly, the doe settled back down before muttering a single word-

“W-wolves.”

One word was all it took for Nick’s blood to freeze. He, himself, had once encountered a wolfpack, he had managed to remain hidden from their view and was lucky enough to be downwind of their keen noses. Had circumstances differed, Nick’s pelt would probably be a display piece on a cave wall somewhere. It was a dog eat dog world, afterall, and Nick knew which dog he would end up as in that confrontation.

Nick was keenly aware that wolves were fierce, capable hunters. Individually they weren’t always the brightest creatures, but when it came to hunting and team strategy they had the cunning and the strength to take down the largest of mammals, prey or predator for that matter. To be a target of a wolfpack was so often a death sentence for an animal.

A hot, wet tear ran down the side of Nick’s arm. “It’s ok Cottontail. I’m here.” Nick softly spoke, trying to comfort the weepy bun the best he could.

Ollie took over at this point in the explanation. “We were watching daddy and the other rabbits in the gardens when we heard Terry shouting.”

\-----

The morning had been cold and snowy, but enjoyable enough for the three bunny siblings. Ashes, Ollie and Cotton had always been as thick as thieves, being the only three born from the second smallest litter in the Hopps clan. 

And to the young group of hyperactive rabbit kits, no activity could be wasted, not even on a cold day. They had spent that morning taking part in only the most extravagant events. Racing through the carrot patch had of course been priority number one, followed by eating some of the frozen carrots (they were always sweeter after a good freeze), and of course betting on who could eat the cold carrots the fastest without having a brain freeze. It was bliss.

But as it approached midday and the sun had finally negated some of the chill, the adults, led by their father Stu Hopps, had shooed them from their improvised playground so they could harvest a section of their produce for their clan stockpile.

Despite the “dumb bunny” stereotype, Clan Hopps weren’t stupid. There were certain facts that were unavoidable and they strived to prevent such scenarios from taking place. Not enough food and the clan would go hungry. No clean water and the clan would go thirsty. No sentry to observe the neighboring forest and a predator could have an opportunity to strike. Simple facts. Safety and security of the clan had always been top priority.

And those simple facts were taken seriously by the leaders of the clan. The rabbits even had a recent advantage, their eldest daughter, Judy, became the first official scout for the family. It took a world of convincing at first for her parents to acquiesce to her requests to scout the area, but she was a stubborn and persistent bunny. 

Stu and Bonnie knew that they could give her the official job and benefit the clan, or deal with having her sneak off to do it without their oversight. Despite their fears, Judy proved to be a competent scout. Her two day expeditions would yield scavenged food and invaluable information on their surroundings. Unfortunately, none of this would change the fate of the Hopps clan that day.

Ashes, Ollie and Cotton had moved off to the side of the garden in a hidden nook they had dug for themselves. During the winter months, the snow would do well to cover up much of the spot, making it the perfect “secret” place to spy on their family doing chores.

“Dad never wants us to help in the garden.” Ollie pouted. “We’re big rabbits now! A-and just because we eat some of the carrots when we pick them doesn’t mean we can’t help!”

“Yeah!” Ashes and Cotton shouted in agreement.

They let Judy do her scouting duty! And Terry gets to be on watch! why can’t we-” As if summoned by her mentioning, Terry’s voice loudly exclaimed throughout the field,

“PREDATORS! EVERYONE TO THE BURROW! PREDATORS!”

The clan had experience when it came to the weasels that would sometimes attempt to snatch a member of the clan, or if a bird of prey was spotted, they had even lost members over such events. But they had never had trouble beyond those common dangers. 

The kits knew what to do too, their sister Judy and their mother Bonny went over the drills with them frequently. They could hear their sister’s voice, Get _ to the burrow as fast as you can, don’t stop until you're inside and you know you're safe.  _ Their sister was very sweet to them, but when it came to their safety she was no-nonsense.

The kits knew that they could always trust their sisters' words. The burrow was safe from anything that had ever attacked before. Ollie was frightened, but she put on her bravest face and took the lead, “W-we got to get to the bur-” 

A loud series of howling and barks began to fill the air, cutting off her sentence.

Screams erupted throughout the gardens and burrow, as frantic adult bunnies struggled to grab whatever they could use to defend themselves. The kits knew that the sound they heard had come from predators their parents had called wolves. 

On nights with a full moon they occasionally heard the same kind of howling. Their father had always warned the kits that the creatures that had made that sound were very dangerous. And if they ever saw a creature that howled or barked like that, they were to run away as fast as they could.

From their hidden snowy nook, they could see the wolves descend on the bunnies trying to scramble into the burrow. There were so many canines, the kits would have guessed there had to have been at least eight. And they were fast, maybe even faster than their sister Judy when she would race with them. It didn’t take but seconds for the wolves to cut off the entrance of the burrow from the rabbits. The result was a one sided massacre.

The wolves didn’t carry any weapons. Their teeth and claws were enough for any job, whether that be slaughtering the bunnies outside of the burrow or to begin digging out those who were now trapped inside.

A large grey wolf with a series of scars on his snout, and blood already dripping from his maw, began taunting the diggers, “Are you going to let the snacks get away, pelts,” his voice was venomous, “or are we going to have a feast!?” He was clearly the Alpha.

“They have spears boss! They- Ow!” One of the diggers yipped from a stab wound on his forepaw.

The Alpha clearly wasn’t sympathetic to his packmate, “Are you going to let their toothpicks stop you from a full belly?! Stop whining and get back to it or you’ll be stuck with the bones tonight!” 

“Yes boss!” And without another word the submissing wolf continued his digging on the burrow.

Back at the snowy nook, the kits watched in horror. The burrow  _ wasn’t _ safe. 

Ashes whispered in utter terror, “What do we do, Ollie!”

“We… we- we just gotta stay here and hide, maybe they won’t find-” Ollie’s eyes widened in fear, “Wait where’s Cotton?!” 

They both began frantically looking before their eyes rested on the edge of the forest in the opposite direction of the wolves and the burrow. The brown doe had run in complete fear away from the horrific sight. 

“Come on Ashie we have to follow her!” The two siblings stumbled out of the nook and took off to chase after their sister.

Cotton didn’t know where she was going, she just knew it would be far from those terrible predators. She had finally made it into the forest but she just kept running and running and running until her foot discovered a tree root. 

Cotton fell and fell hard, her head hitting a rock and knocking her out cold. The wound was a lot better than it could have been, but there was a deep, bleeding gash from the collision. 

When Ashes and Ollie caught up to their sister, they were panicking. “Cotton wake up!” Ashes said frantically.

“Ashie she hit her head hard, she’s not gonna get up right now!” The news was not comforting to her panicked brother.

“We- We gotta do something! We- we can’t stay here!!”

He was right. And she wasn’t about to protest putting as much distance between them and the burrow as possible. So, with a nod to her brother, she stiffened her upper lip and with as much strength she could muster, she said the closest thing she could picture her bravest sister Judy saying, “We’re going to carry her as far away from here as we can until we feel safe, ok?”

“O-ok” Ashes said, still shaking.

So the two bunnies tried their best to pick up and carry their little sister together, they were too panicked to think to cover up Cotton’s wound. She was small, but deadweight. Still, they managed to carry her until it was evening. They were exhausted. Utterly and completely exhausted.

The two decided to stop for the night, and being too tired to move- even as snow began to fall from the sky, they cuddled up next to their smaller sister and quickly passed out.

\-----

“A-and that was when we woke up next to you.” Ollie finished her narrative. At this point the tears were running freely from all the mammals, not just the bunnies.

_ How could predators be so cruel? _ Nick thought. 

He grabbed the sniveling bunnies and bunched them all together in a big hug. He already felt so much care for these little ones, which is why the next thought in his mind truly panged him.

_ What if mom and dad didn’t raise me to be better?  _ He looked at the sobbing bunnies in his arms with compassion.  _ Would I have ended up hurting someone as precious as Cotton or Ash or Ollie?  _ He shivered at the idea.

Nick heard his mother’s voice in his mind,  _ Show them Nicky. You are more than just a predator, you are more than a fox. _

He internally thanked his mom and dad for teaching him to be better, for making him better. He knew that if it wasn’t for them he could have-  _ No _ , it wasn’t a could have. He  _ would _ have been just like the wolves that had destroyed his bunnies’ lives.

He kept his arms around the three bunnies for a long time. And as they cried their eyes out mourning for their lost clan, Nick made a vow. It was not much different from the family creed his parents taught him, but that didn’t matter. 

Internally, Nick began to recite his new vow.  _ I, Nicholas Wilde, promise to be brave for you three, to be loyal to you three, to be helpful to you three and to always be trustworthy for you three, and to protect you no matter the cost.  _

He squeezed the bunnies tighter one last time before loosening his grip and cooing close to their ears, “you’re safe now, I won’t let them hurt you. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He continued to softly whisper little comforts to the bunnies until they had finally calmed down.

He would take turns rubbing each one of the bunnies ears to try to comfort them a little more. Cotton leaned in close to Nick’s chest and rested her head against the fox. 

“Mister Nick,”

Nick looked at the cuddling doe, “Yes, Cottontail?”

“You smell like momma and daddy.”

Nick was taken aback a bit. He wasn’t sure, but maybe that’s why the rabbits eased with him so quickly. “I do?”

“Yeah, you smell like flowers.” Ashes added, still trembling slightly.

It was a guilty pleasure of Nick’s to eat violets whenever he found them growing. They were his mother’s favorite when she was alive and she would always use them to make tea to ease his stomach when he had a bellyache as a kit. It made sense that the smell would be a part of him.

Nick gave a slight smile to the kits in front of him. They had been through so much in the last 36 hours. The fact that they were doing this well amazed Nick, but children are resilient and the fox had given them a platform of stability in an ocean of sorrows with winds and waves that seeked to toss them to and fro. 

Nick of course had other, smaller questions that he wanted to ask, but he was done questioning the emotionally exhausted kits. Truth be told, he was exhausted too. The emotional baggage of most predators being more than willing to harm mammals like Cotton for food tore him to pieces. He looked at the sandy brown doe pressed against his chest, and once again he silently thanked his parents for the way they raised him. 

Between the time of their breakfast, the story of what the bunnies had to endure, and the time spent comforting the little rabbits, much of the day had flown by. Nick was still silently embracing the kits when a loud grumble could be heard coming from Ashes belly. 

Nick chuckled and said to the suddenly bashful rabbit, “I guess it’s lunchtime.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's more questions that need to be asked. And believe me they will be.  
> Feel free to give writing advice if you feel something is off with the writing.
> 
> GREETINGS From the future! I had been asked a question in chapter 18 in regards to the size of the Hopps clan. In this story assume the Hopps clan numbers in the twenties. I had accidentally cut that important detail from this chapter when streamlining the story.  
> It would have been impossible for any rabbit clan to have grew to 275+ strong in such a hostile environment and am sorry for not establishing that crucial change from the canon.  
> I plan on going back into this chapter and editing it in, sorry :/


	5. Answers Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More shared meals, more questions and more answers.

**Answers Part II**

Now that he knew the kits had a good amount of food in them from that morning, Nick finally had the opportunity to give them a properly cooked meal. He wasn’t the best cook, no that title belonged to his mother (even if she was gone.) But he managed to pick up a few things from her in his youth. Still, he needed to make something that prey mammals would appreciate, which immediately discarded half of his winter storage. 

He remembered how his mother made an outstanding mushroom soup, and he had just the right ingredients to make the delicious dish for him and his company to both enjoy. His mouth was already watering at the prospect of it.

Nick walked to his storage enclave and began snatching the ingredients he would need to make his mom’s delicious recipe and began cooking. It amazed him how well his mother figured out what herbs could add life to a soup, and was glad that so many of the herbs needed continued to grow during the winter months.

It didn’t take long for Nick to have the proper ingredients put together and only a bit more time was needed for the soup to cook to perfection. Quickly, he poured the hot medley into three bowls for the bunnies (he only had the three, so he would have to directly eat out of the pot.) Nick walked back to the kits who had, this time at least, waited on the bed for their food. In total, the kits only had to wait an hour for a new meal that would fill their bellies.

The kits began to sip at the strange looking soup. Their eyes bulged at the flavor before relaxing as they started to heartily drink in the delicious elixir. It was amazing how a good meal could lift anyone’s spirits. There were no words needed, just the sounds of slurping bunnies and a fox lapping up the warm mushroomy goodness.

Cotton stopped drinking her soup to stare at the fox’s eating habits before saying, “Mister Nick! Why are you licking the soup up! You gotta drink it like this.” 

The sandy brown doe put the bowl to her lips and exaggeratedly began to drink up the mushroom soup again with a loud slurp, all while eyeing the fox to make sure he was paying attention on her vital specifications on how to properly eat the soup. Her siblings giggled at their sister’s instructions to the clearly amused fox.

_ Karma, what am I going to do with these cute bunnies?  _

Nick grinned at the doe before a mischievous look overtook him. He dipped a clawed digit in his soup and booped her nose. The bunny looked at the bit of soup that appeared at the tip of her nose with open mouthed surprise. She then started to lick the drop of soup off her little pink nose.

“See,” Nick began with a clearly humored look, “sometimes it’s better to lick the soup.” Ashes and Ollie burst with laughter at their sister and the fox. Twice in one day they were supplied with a meal and a show.

When the bowls were empty and the stomachs full, Nick began the conversation again, although a bit hesitantly. “Well, you guys answered my question, was there anything you three wanted to ask me?” Nick was sure he knew what question they would definitely start with... Which is why he was taken aback when it wasn’t what they asked.

“Why did you save us?” Ollie timidly questioned.

“What do you mean?” He started, “Why wouldn’t I save you guys? it was cold and you were being buried by the snow. I couldn't just leave you!” The answer was genuine, but Nick could see they needed more than that.

He looked away from the kits as he began speaking again, “My parents always told me that I could be a better mammal, and I believe them. And that means to help other mammals.” 

Cotton crawled up next to the fox and snuggled up to his side and tugged on his arm, “Mister Nick?”

“Yeah, Cottontail?” Nick put the arm around the doe and let her sit next to him.

“Could we meet your parents someday?”

A pang went through Nick’s heart at the innocent request. Oh how he wished he could show the bunnies his parents. He could see his mom embracing the two little does in the same kind of hugs she always gave him, or see his father ruffling Ashes’ grey fur before giving him another nickname that the buck wouldn’t quite get. 

“I wish I could Cotton, but I’ve been without them for a long time now.”

The kit didn’t immediately understand, but when she looked up and locked on his saddened eyes, comprehension washed over the doe. 

“Oh..” She was sincerely saddened by that. 

This wasn’t lost on Ollie either, who graciously whispered (much better than their previous attempts) the information to Ashes.

A sad look overtook the buck, his ears, previously upright, fell down his back, “What were they like?” Ashes asked genuinely.

To Nick, these kits were full of surprises. He immediately expected to have to explain the species and predator things, but instead was asked questions about his parents. In a way it was...  _ refreshing _ . And granted, he knew that question would be asked soon, he was glad that these rabbits were so authentic in their interest of his parents. 

_ Mom, dad, you would’ve loved them. _

“They both loved each other very much.” Nick began. “And they loved me too, dad would make all my clothes until he taught me how to make my own and mom would always make the best food to eat.” 

Nick smiled. “Sometimes dad would sing to mom when she was feeling sad, and when I was little like you three, mom would sing to me when she rocked me to sleep.”

The fox reminisced as the bunnies were enthralled by story after story of Nick’s childhood antics with his parents. They would ask question after question about how Nick could sew, or how his mom taught him about food, or whatever would come to their minds until they were satisfied.

At the end of it, they still had one question they needed answered. Ashes started, “I have another question, Mister Nick.”

Nick prepared himself, “Alright Grey, I’m ready.”

“You’re not a bunny.” It was a question just as much as it was a statement.

“No. No I’m not.”

“Well?”

“Well, what?” 

“Well, what are you? Ashes asked directly.

“I’m Nick.” At this point some may accuse Nick of dodging the question.

“Mister Nick!” Cotton giggled and took over, “What kinda mammal are you?” She cheerily asked.

“Well, I’m a fox.” 

Ashes looked at him disbelievingly. “No you’re not.” the buck said confidently. “Momma told us about foxes and how they are sneaky and hurt rabbits. But you haven’t done either of those things.”

“Well,” Nick’s throat was dry, “Some foxes are like that. A lot of them actually.” He answered honestly, “But I don’t want to hurt anyone, I want to help mammals. I don’t want to be a fox like that.”

Ollie and Ashes appraised Nick’s statement. They remembered vaguely how their grandpa always warned them that foxes were red because they were made by evil spirits…. And Nick was red. So he had to be a fox, right? But how could someone as nice as Mister Nick be something as bad as a fox?

Ollie asked as well, just to make sure, “Mister Nick, are you sure you’re a fox?” 

“As sure as I am red.”

“But you’re not going to hurt us, right Mister Nick?” Cotton asked. She had never even moved away from Nick’s side when he mentioned he was a fox.

“Never.” He answered with complete resoluteness. There wasn’t even a second thought to it, the question was answered with such firmness that it put to rest any doubt the bunnies had about the fox.

“Mister Nick,”

“Yes, Cotton?”

“Can we live here with you?” 

Ashes and Ollie were shocked at the question. Granted they didn’t really know where else they could go for now. Even If the burrow had survived the wolf attack, they had travelled for half a day through unknown woods without the presence of mind to even look at where they were going. How could they make it back home?

In all honesty, it was a miracle they had made it that far, even more so considering the events that happened after they passed out. And, regardless if Nick was a fox, they felt safe with him. He was nice, and they knew that he liked them and they were truly beginning to like him too. 

It hadn’t occurred to Nick just what he was doing when he rescued these kits. And after hearing their story… there... probably wasn’t anyone to... return them to. 

He made a mental note to see if he could find their burrow just in case. It was a longshot, but he knew he should still try.  _ For them. _

Nonetheless, even if it was a temporary stay, this should have been a hard decision to make. He would be taking on the burdens of raising three growing kits, not to mention that they were kits of another species. A species that considered him a mortal enemy. Yet... it wasn’t a hard decision.  _ I promise… no matter the cost. _

“ **Yes** , you can live with me.” Nick said to the diminutive doe before looking across the bed at the other two bunnies. “All of you.”

At his answer the bunnies rushed him. Two furry missiles jumped at his chest hugging him as tight as they could. Cotton only cuddled more snugly against Nick’s side. The tears were flowing again from the two bunnies in his arms. 

They had a  _ home _ . Things weren’t alright, but they would be. 

A smile crossed Nick’s lips as he hugged his… his… his what?  _ Family? _ He wouldn’t venture to say the words yet, but yes. In his heart the decision had already been made.  _ Family.  _ And so it was, at least for now, Nick had a family again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter may be a bit longer of a wait, it will be more difficult to write. Or not, because I've also been having a lot of time on my hands with all this not leaving the house thing going on. Guess we'll see. :)


	6. Could There Have Been...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Contentedness finds one, despair another, but in both there is hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would take longer to update this. It didn't :)  
> Longer chapter than usual, I thought about splitting this into two chapters, but I liked these two put together.

**Could There have Been...**

The day progressed for Nick and the kits. The talks had gone much better than expected and they had grown close so very quickly. If he was being honest with himself, Nick already felt a strong attachment for each one of the bunnies. And as they all rested on the bed from their delicious noon lunch and their heavy Q & A, Nick had an idea.

“Would you guys like to go outside?”

At this, the resting bunnies perked up, ears and all. The idea to go and play in the snow resonated very well with hyperactive kits who’ve been cooped up in an underground den all day. And after such terrible events yesterday, the kits could use a break from reality.

Cotton was the first to speak, or rather, squeal in excitement to the suggestion, “MISTER NICK THAT’S THE MOST BESTEST IDEA EVER! WILL YOU MAKE A SNOWBUNNY WITH ME?! AND WE CAN LOOK FOR SWEET GRASS TOGETHER AN-”

The rambling prone kit couldn’t contain her enthusiasm at the prospect of playing with her new fox friend. 

“Cotton” Nick began to chuckle at the still talking doe, “Cottontail! You know I’ll do all those things with you.” He smiled and made a bargain for the doe, “But only if we change the bandage on your head. We don’t want it to get dirty, now do we?” 

The doe rubbed her head where the gash was, “Okay...” the slightest of pouts could be detected. “…but we gotta hurry so we can have as much time to play as possible Mister Nick!”

He smiled at the pouty bun. “Don’t worry Cottontail, the snow is still gonna be there when we go outside.” Nick still hurried for the little bun. Nick may not have realized it yet, but the bunnies already had him wrapped around their fingers. He wetted his red bandana and folded it into a neat little square, perfect for cleaning her wound.

For their part, the bunnies waited patiently for the fox to gather what he needed to clean their sister’s cut. Nick sauntered back to the bed and gently began to unwrap the linen bandage that he previously put over Cotton’s head. A bit of dried blood clung to the ruined bandage, and some stuck to her fur.

As Nick wiped the cut clean, he felt Cotton wince from the touch. He hated that. He hated that she had to feel that, and he hated the wolves for doing this to her. One of  _ his  _ bunnies was hurting. He knew his anger wouldn’t help the situation, so, with a swallow, he gave Cotton a reassuring smile and finished cleaning the cut and replaced it with a fresh bandage.

“See, that wasn’t so bad was it?”

“It hurt, Mister Nick.”

Nick had a penitent look. Cleaning the wound was unavoidable, but he still felt the guilt at having to cause the pain. “I’m sorry sweetheart. But I have just the idea that’ll make you feel better.” 

-0-0-

Nick looked out of the hole to his den. He carefully scoped the area, it would not do for him to have to deal with any unwelcome guests. No, he wouldn’t allow anyone to put these kits through anything else. 

When he deemed the coast to be clear, Nick crawled out of the foxhole. He was followed by one, two, and three pairs of longears, not quite leaving the opening of Nick’s den. “Alright fluffs do you guys have the juice?”

Nick smiled as he noticed how Cotton, Ashes and Ollie’s ears poked out of the den’s entrance before their whole heads stuck out, “Y-yeah!” Ollie answered. Each kit lifted a bowl filled with raspberry juice. “Are we gonna drink these out here? Why didn’t we just drink it inside?”

“Berry juice is good, but what if I told you there’s something we can have that’s waaaay better and it can only be made out here?” 

This piqued the interest of the kits. Berry juice was delicious, what could even come close to topping it? 

“You guys coming, or what?” The fox teased.

At the promising statement the bunnies fell in line behind the predator, bowls of juice in hand. Nick directed them to set the bowls of juice down before exaggeratedly holding up a paw saying, 

“This is a device for making the most delicious of all treats! The Pawsicle.”

Ashes already had smoke coming out of his ears.  _ And I already lost Grey.  _

“And look, each of you has one too!” Nick gestured at their paws. 

Ashes, may Serendipity bless his soul, looked in bewilderment at the fox. “Mister Nick, that’s just your paw… y-you’re not holding anything...”

“Right you are, Grey! The paw IS the device! Now all we need is a Pawsicle stick for each of you.” Nick quickly snapped some sticks off of a nearby bush and pawed one over to each rabbit. “Now, take your free paw and press it deep into the snow…” The bunny kits began to follow the Fox’s lead and pressed their padless paws into the powdery snowfall, leaving behind three bunny shaped paw prints.

“Now,” The fox continued his lesson, “Pour the juice in the pawprint.” The kits began to catch on to the idea that Nick was having and quickly followed his lead. 

“Great! Now you just put the stick in it and give it two hours to-”

“TWO HOURS!” By their desperate voices you would’ve assumed the world had ended.

“Yes. two hours, no exceptions! And I don’t want to see anybunny slurping up the juice, That means you Speckles. Don’t think I didn’t see the nose twitch.” 

The fox’s grin was a little more smug than usual. Almost as if he knew he’d get this reaction from the three.

_ I wonder if I sounded like that when dad would tease me?  _ The thought bounced around in Nick’s head while his amused smile dominated his face.

While the Pawsicles were setting there were a multitude of activities the kits and fox diligently attended to. The promised making of a snowbunny had been accomplished, long ears and all. And the rest of the day wouldn’t be any less wonderful for the bunnies. 

They hardly felt the time slip by as Nick gave them foxyback rides, and as they taught Nick the delicate art of making bunangels in the snow. It was like a winter paradise, and when the daylight finally began to wane and the kits finally tuckered out, their pawsicles had long been ready.

They collected their frozen treats and Nick led them inside. It didn’t take long for the fox to restock and stoke the fireplace, all while enjoying the sounds of messy nibbling from the buns that had rushed to the bed.

As Nick walked over to them, he grabbed a single blanket and began to make a spot for himself on the ground next to the bed for himself.

“Mister Nick,” All three bunnies were looking at him, “What are you doing?” Ashes asked quizzically.

“Well, I’m gonna sleep on the floor, so you three can have the bed.”

The kits were clearly confused. “Why?”

Nick didn’t actually know how to answer that, he just felt he should sleep on the floor for their sakes. He rubbed at the nape of his neck and said, “I just wanted you guys to feel comfortable.”

The bunnies were none the wiser of the awkwardness the fox felt. So, they pressed on. Ollie wondered what her sister Judy would say at a time like this. She knew Judy would never let any of her siblings sleep on the floor alone if she could help it. 

Ollie began, “You can’t sleep on the floor, it’s hard a-and this is your bed!” The speckled white doe looked at Nick from the edge of the bed urging him to come up there with them.

Nick sat on the blanket that he laid next to the bed. Putting him eye-level with the three kits. When his eyes met the three bunnies staring at him from the bed, he knew he was a goner. 

He hadn’t really taken note of their eyes until this moment. But now he saw three bunnies, two giving him their best big brown eyes, sad stare, coupled with having their ears folded back. It was a dangerously cute combination, ultimately giving him a pleading look that tore at his walls of resistance.

And between the two, a sandy brown doe gave him a heartbroken stare with big golden eyes. And when green locked with gold, and Nick saw the tears building behind them, his resolve was at the brink.

“You don’t want to be near us, Mister Nick?” Cotton asked with a sadness in her voice. His resolve was shattered. Gone. Thrown out of the den and left to freeze in the snow.

“No Cotton that’s not it, I- I-” the fox sighed and smiled at the three bunnies, “Alright, ok, you win you three just stop giving me those bunny eyes!” The kits giggled as Nick collected the blanket on the floor and crawled up on the bed. Cute, sad bunny eyes hardly ever failed.

Nick placed himself next to the kits and curled up in a ball to sleep. As for the kits, they weren’t having that. It only took a few seconds for Nick to feel the crawling of little rabbit paws over his back. But he knew he was helpless to stop them though, so he just let it happen.

By the end of it, two fluffballs, one grey and one white, were tucked under their fluffy fox tail blanket, cuddling close together with each other. The third fluff, a sandy brown, cuddled under the fox’s jaw with small paws clinging to the cream-colored fur of the neck of her new favorite friend. Within minutes, the warmth of their cuddle buddy, the feeling of security, and the familiar scent of violets lulled the three bunnies into a deep sleep. 

The fox’s eyes were drooping tiredly as well, it had been an eventful day. A day he would have never predicted in his lifetime, that much for sure. And also, a day he would cherish forever. The fox knew that the next morning he would search for the rabbits warren, but for now he would just enjoy the moment.

As the fox began to drift closer to sleep he remembered the song his mother would sing to him when he was a kit and began to lightly hum the tune.  _ You are my sunshine, my only sunshine… you make me happy when skies are grey…  _

And at the end of the tune the fox fell into a deep, blissful sleep. He was content. Could there have been a better day?

  
  
  


**-Approximately 24 hours before.-**

“Could there have been a worse day?!” the grey rabbit doe shouted under her breath. 

Her scouting missions were only supposed to take about 24 hours. But she had hit a snag on her journey, and the total time elapsed had now been over 36 hours. It was now approaching dusk, the sun was close to setting and only now was she getting close to the burrow.

_ Mom is going to kill me.  _ The grey doe thought. 

When it came to fighting skills, Judy Hopps was elite, perhaps the toughest bunny in her whole clan. But she knew full well that it wouldn’t help her in the least if she was on the receiving end of her mother’s wrath. 

It really wasn’t her fault for being so late, though. Things had started out normal; collecting sweet grass, scouting for signs of pred activity, searching for potential prey traders who wouldn’t look down on trading with a rabbit, the usual. 

Of course, the entourage of weasels that had spotted her had to be relentless in their chase. If it had been only one or two, Judy was confident that she could have dispatched them easily with the spear she carried, but fighting six weasels would’ve been a fool’s errand. 

Superbunny or not, she knew how little honor a weasel held in fighting, and it would do no good for the clan if she died from a cheapshot. So naturally, she led them as far away from the direction of her clan’s burrow as possible. 

Weasels may have been tricky creatures, but they weren’t particularly difficult to trick themselves. It was tiresome, and shaking them from her tail had been a bit harder than she thought. Still, it gave her a bit of a thrill to have outsmarted the predators.

Nonetheless, that had been an all day endeavor. Judy was exhausted, and nothing sounded better than joining the snoozes of all of her younger brothers and sisters. Afterall, being with all of them would also satisfy her sense of responsibility to know that they were all safe. It would be a relief to her to feel the warmth of her family. Sadly, it was a relief that would not be coming. 

As she approached the edge of the woods, a chill set in her bones.  _ Why does this feel wrong? _ Judy asked herself. 

An unsettling dread began to overtake the doe as she began to pass the last bit of foliage blocking her view of the burrow.  _ No, no everything’s fine, se- _

But everything wasn’t fine. No, the setting sun’s light didn’t lie. The burrow was in ruins, the gardens trampled as if by something large. The doe’s hindpaws couldn’t carry her fast enough. 

“Mom!? Dad?!” She shouted in fear.

But no response. “Jessica!?! Terry!?” Nothing. No one.

Tears began to fill the doe’s eyes as she reached the garden, never ceasing the calls to various names of siblings. Her fleeting hope began to falter as she saw the patches of blood and fur in the garden. Various farm tools were snapped like they were twigs, some did have blood on their ends, indicating a sign of a struggle. 

She felt sick. It couldn’t be helped how her knees quivered underneath her until they gave out. Nor could it be helped that she emptied her stomach of the sweetgrass and carrots she had eaten earlier in the day. Her body trembled as she threw up the contents from the sight. It was ok to be sick, this was sickening.

_No._ Tears began to fill her eyes as her thoughts ran wild. _I’m supposed to protect the clan! This isn’t happening!_ _This can’t happen._

But there are some things you can’t will away. Some things that even the strongest can’t see coming or prevent. 

She lifted herself from the garden. A struggle in and of itself, really. But she had to see what happened to the burrow. Only as she approached the entrance did she see the large canine form slumped at the burrow entrance. 

Her hindbrain went on the fritz,  _ WOLF! _

Fight or flight had immediately kicked in, and just as quickly shut off. The wolf wasn’t moving, it was as still as the ground it lay upon, simply just slumped near where the burrow entrance was, or used to be… She now had a better look, it appeared that the burrow was dug into.

That made her hindbrain go off worse than the sight of the wolf. 

She cautiously approached the beast, spear tightly gripped in her paws. As she neared the wolf, she noticed the blood on his maw and paws. A sickness came over her again, but it was overshadowed by an even stronger feeling. 

Rage. Rage at the wolf, rage at what he had done to her clan. Rage that led her to sinking the spear into the side of the wolf for a semblance of vindication.

Rage that wasn’t sated when the wolf didn’t so much as flinch. “You think you’re tough, huh?.” The bunny’s violet eyes began to fill with tears, “picking on bunnies,” as she stabbed her spear into the unmoving body of the wolf over and over again. 

“But we’ll show you, we’re not just…” Her voice was lost in her sobs. 

She continued to stab and maim the canine. But no matter how many times she thrust her spear into the wolf’s clearly lifeless body, it wouldn’t take away the pain she felt. The lack of justice at her situation, the heartache inflicted on her, it was unbearable. She sobbed at it all. No closure, no relief, only grief...and a thought nagging at her mind, 

_ I- I wasn’t there. I could’ve... _

The thought tore at her heart, but there was still the smallest sliver of hope. Judy was strong enough to keep looking, and she  _ needed _ to see the rest of it all. She needed to know if there was anything she could do. She had to know what happened. So, she climbed down into the excavated burrow entrance and began her search. 

There was blood spattered about at the entrance. At a closer examination on the dead predator, the wolf’s paws had clearly been targeted, and a clear puncture wound to the neck had been what finished it off. At least the bunnies didn’t go down alone. And Judy could at least hope the rest of the wolves would be cursed with an infection from their wounds.

The rest of the burrow was torn to pieces. Any furniture that they had made was shredded, their tools and supplies destroyed, and the iron scent of blood filled the warren. It was both unpleasant and overwhelming. 

If Judy could form words at the moment, perhaps the word she would use to describe herself would be  _ uprooted _ . She felt like everything she had was torn away from her. Taken, stolen,  _ extinguished. _

She knew she couldn’t stay there, the burrow was really gone.  _ Really gone. _

_ I failed them.  _ The thought reverberated throughout her soul, her ears hung low.

She had to say goodbye to her home. So she walked to the front, dropped to her knees and offered a prayer to Serendipity, 

_ I’m sorry, I couldn’t…  _ The lump in her throat had grown painful.  _ Please, take care of them. Let them rest... _

At the end of her prayer, she gathered up a few of the scavengable items and said her goodbyes to the warren. She made her way to the garden and said a tearful goodbye to it as well. There were many good times she had there playing with her siblings. 

And then her eyes rested on the snowy nook that her youngest siblings had made and looked at it with both grief and fondness. Oh how she loved to play with them, what she would do to see their faces again. 

Judy walked up to the snowy nook to pay her last regards to her youngest siblings. She felt the strongest guilt for failing them. The thought of their lives being cut short at such a young age haunted her. But before the grief could overcome her once again, something else caused her heart to stop.

The nook was pristine, it’s snowy roof made sure of that. But the small paw prints inside told Judy a story. 

And this story wasn’t the tragedy that befell the rest of her clan. No this was a story of hope. A fragile hope that could be quelled at any moment, but hope nonetheless. Frantic pawprints could be seen inside, as if those who had left them were terrified of something. 

Yet, there wasn’t a drop of blood, nor any sign that a wolf wandered near the hiding spot. But what caught Judy’s eyes the most were the signs that the paw prints looked to start in the direction of the forest. And although much of the tracks had been lightly snowed over, it was clear to her that the kits made it to the forest without being spotted by the wolves.

Judy knew in her heart of hearts that she failed her clan. Whether she could have made a difference or not in the attack was irrelevant to her, she wasn’t there, so she would blame herself. But these kits, she wasn’t going to let them go. 

She would do whatever she could to  _ protect them, no matter the cost.  _

She was exhausted, yes, but with this newfound hope she couldn’t ignore the possibility of saving anyone she had left. So, without hesitation, she began her search for the three kits that she hoped, that she believed beyond anything, were still alive. 

The sun had finally set, and a nighttime search would prove fruitless for a rabbit who lacked night vision, but she didn’t care. She charged into the woods for her search. If there was one thing she knew...

_ I never know when to quit. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have continued to find enjoyment in writing this and hope to update this again soon :)


	7. Foxes: Dreams and Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy is on the trail. Dreams are not always fun, and reality can often seem bleaker than it actually is.

**Foxes: Dreams and Reality**

Judy knew she could be rash, but this was her family at stake. She had already lost her home and was alone, she didn’t want to lose these escaped little ones too. At this point, she was a bit of an emotional wreck. 

And because of that, she wasn’t able to approach the search in a logical way. When she had returned to the burrow, she had already been up since the crack of dawn, and then she had spent the better part of the night searching in a darkness that her inadequate vision could hardly cut through. 

It would have been prudent and wise to have stopped to rest so she could give it all in the morning, but her mind wouldn’t allow it. 

_ Every minute counts.  _ She thought frantically. 

But the sentiment wasn’t enough. She had managed to track her siblings movements to a certain tree in the forest where she, by the faintest of moonlight, found a tuft of fur on a tree root. 

At this point in the night, she had finally overtaxed herself and decided to hide against a tree to catch her breath. The tired bunny sat down against the tree; she closed her eyes and muttered how she was only going to rest them. 

Despite her words, It didn’t take long for her to involuntarily drift into a deep sleep.

Judy dreamt many things that night, she dreamt of the faces of her parents and siblings fixed in a state of horror, spatters of blood, the sounds of howling and the feelings of loss and failure.

These horrors gave way to a familiar night terror she frequently had ... a dream of a dangerous fox. She shuttered in her sleep. 

The fox was an old nightmare that she had dealt with since the aftermath of her first scouting mission, a memory that she had always worked to suppress. She had never been able to shake the terrible experience however, and she never had the chance to talk it out with anyone in the burrows. Afterall, if she hadn’t kept it under wraps it would only serve to reinvigorate her parent’s opposition to her scouting missions. 

The experience converted into a fear (granted Judy would say otherwise, but deep down it was a fear). And the fear engrained itself into a memory. And those memories that she had never worked out manifested themselves in her slumber. 

And asleep under that tree, Judy’s dream would reign.

-0-0-

A 17 year old Judy had been buzzing with excitement as she prepared to leave the clan burrow on her first mission. It was a warm summer day, and she was excited to finally be able to venture into the forest.

“Yes dad, I’ll be safe!” The grey doe rolled her eyes, “You can stop worrying, I’m tougher than anyone else in the clan and better with a spear too.” 

The doe’s mother and father stood across from her. “I-I know Jude, i-it’s just that you’re our eldest, and we… we just want you to be safe here on the farm...” 

The older rabbit stuttered the words with a burdened look. Stu knew he couldn’t stop his daughter. He was well aware that when Jude the Dude set her mind on something, there was no stopping her. 

“Dad, we talked about this, I’ve been working for this my whole life!” 

“A- and we’re proud of you, we’re just so scared too,” Stu stuttered in worry.

“Excited for you but terrified.” Bonnie added.

Judy smiled at her caring parents before giving them one of her classic lines, “The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.”

“And bears, we have bears to fear. And weasels and pretty much all predators.” Stu added.

Judy knew her father was right. Predators were a real danger, but that wasn’t going to stop her from her dream of being the first scout for her clan. 

“I’ll be careful,” She put down her spear and closed the gap between her and Bonnie and Stu with a big hug. “I love you guys!”

“We love you too, Jude.” Stu started to tear up while Bonnie did her best to console her very emotional husband.

The sendoff wasn’t easy but the other parts of her journey proved to be challenging in their own rights. She had brought only her spear that she had strapped to her back, and a meager ration of carrots and meadow hay. 

She didn’t want to carry too much; she needed to have plenty of room to collect new foods that her family would be able to plant. She had great luck early on, finding and picking clean multiple berry bushes. 

She would have a full sack of goodies for her family to plant. This fact made her chest swell with pride. She could already picture the happy looks from her siblings. The clan would be thrilled to have all kinds of new foods and she would be happy to have made the world a better place for them. 

As she was focused on scavenging a blackberry bush, her ears had picked up on a faint sound behind her. A snap of a twig. Her ears perked up focusing on the sound. Nothing else… She pretended to have not taken notice and made herself look as if she had continued her berry picking. 

_ I know that was something.  _ Another twig snapped, the sound of light breathing could be heard. 

_ I’m being… _ Before she could finish her thought Judy leapt far to the left, hardly missing a deadly pounce of a large fox. She let her paws carry her to the nearest tree and quickly scaled up. 

The fox had swiftly recovered after it’s failed pounce and was hot on her tail the whole way, his claws had barely missed her legs as she pulled herself up to a limb out of reach of her pursuer. Deep claw marks were left on the tree bark from his swipe, claw marks that would’ve caught her flesh if she had been even a second slower.

The fox growled out, “Stupid, carrot farmin’, dumb bunny,” his voice had a terrible accent, but the venom in it came through just fine, “you’re far away from the carrot farm aren’t ye, ya stupid rodent?”

Judy had pulled out her spear and put it between her and the red adversary. She had wondered how such a fat fox had been able to make so little noise in the forest. 

“Not dumb enough to be caught by you!” She quipped back.

His eyes were a nice shade of blue, but they were filled with icy hatred. Judy could feel the cold animosity from the predator below. Those were the eyes of a mammal who had hardened themselves to the world, ready to pour out it’s wrath on whatever crossed it. 

_ A bully.  _ Judy thought. 

“Just ye wait! Gideon Grey don’t let no bunny talk trash to me. I’m a fox!”

The predator continued to hurl taunts and insults at the bunny. Judy had to roll her eyes at this fox, dangerous he was, but she had always thought foxes were supposed to be sly, sneaky tricksters. 

This fox had managed to damage that stereotype, although he fit the ‘vicious predator’ category perfectly. Even so, she had a hunch the word ‘cunning’ probably wasn’t in his vocabulary. She knew she could outsmart him, she just had to figure out how. 

The rabbit surveyed her surroundings. The berry bush had enough thorns on it that it would catch the predator long enough for her to lose it, but she would get cut by the brambles too. She weighed it with the alternative of having to face the much larger predator one on one, that idea did not entice her. After careful mental deliberation, she decided a retreat through the bramble bush was her best option.

“You thinkin’ you kin outsmart a pred, ya dumb bunny?! Ye ain’t got-” 

The fox named Gideon had his taunting cut off when a spear came flying at him. The overweight fox was surprisingly quick, however, and he managed to swipe the spear out of the air with his paws before it could deal any damage. 

The fox growled angrily, “Why ye little-” but the bunny had already departed from the tree and back over to the berry bush he had originally attacked her at. Speedily, the fox scrambled after her, but she was already deep into the bush. 

But he wouldn’t let her off that easy. No prey would pull one over him. Gideon delved deeply into the bush, it was a painful and stupid idea, but he was in range of his target.

Judy had made good progress through the bush, she was going to get away from the fox with only a few thorns and a missing spear to show for it. That was until she felt the massive paw firmly grasp her by the ankle. It squeezed around her hindfoot like a vice. She glanced behind her to see what had happened. 

_ Sweet carrots _ . 

The fox had dove into the bush, his snout, face and paws were covered in cuts from jumping straight into the scraping thorns, and his other arm was ensnared in the prickly vines, but it did nothing to put off the sinister, toothy smile stretched across his muzzle. 

“I got ye now. What are ya gonna do now little bunny, gonna cry?” the fox chuckled cruelly and began to pull the rabbit closer to him with his unentangled paw.

Judy knew she was in trouble, this fox was going to kill her! It had been it’s intent from the beginning and now it had her in his grasp. 

She had to be cunning, she had to be smart if she were to get out of this... but instead of either of those things, she did something else. She couldn’t stand the sight of the fox’s arrogant, satisfied, sadistic grin. Even if it was the last thing she did she had to kick the fox in its stupid, toothy face. 

She balled herself up like a coiled spring and readied herself to strike, and when the fox had pulled her close enough, Judy’s used her whole body to send her free foot into action. Her powerful hindlegs could be formidable, and soon Gideon’s nose found that out the hard way. With a wallop she smacked the fox with everything she had.

“Ow, ye damn carrot munchin’ harlot!” The fox plunged his body further into the bush, and with the extra reach sent a claw at the rabbits face.

“Ahh!” Judy yelped in pain, he had cleanly sliced her cheek! But in doing so, the not so intelligent fox had inadvertently released his grip on his prey. Judy skittered out of the bramble with everything she had. And when she was free, she ran. Fast and far, she put substantial distance between her and the predator who was now cursing up a storm trapped in the bramble. She ran and ran-

-0-0-

And then she woke up. Judy always awoke at that part. She put a paw over her racing heart. She supposed it matched the marathon she had been running before her mind roused from slumber. 

She brushed the light, thread thin scars under her cheek fur with a paw. She had been very, very lucky. If the fox hadn’t been tangled up when he had done that, no doubt the damage would have been much more than the light graze he caught her with.

They were shallow cuts, and she had been able to clean them easily and sufficiently cover them with her fur. She successfully hid them from her family until they healed and became almost completely unnoticeable. 

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hide the trauma the fox had done to her from herself. It still bothered her to this day, and certainly the lack of openness about it for the past 3 years had not helped.

Her heart slowly calmed down from it’s distressed pace. Judy rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stretched her arms. Only now did she realize how cold it was. 

_ Did I really fall asleep in the snow?  _ It really wasn’t a question, the snow surrounding her around the tree made that reckless decision very clear. 

Judy’s heart picked up again and she jumped to her feet. “The kits! I fell asleep!” the doe shouted in distress. The night had come and gone and the day had clearly picked up without bothering to notify her. 

By the looks of the sun, it was approaching noon. 

She berated herself,  _ they had to spend the night in the dark forest alone because of you. _ The weight of failing her clan, and the deep sense of responsibility weighted heavily on Judy once again. 

Frustrated with herself for her rash and emotional decision to attempt a nighttime search, (granted she was under a lot of duress,) she grabbed her ears and pulled them over her face and let out an angry groan. 

_ If I lose them...  _ She didn’t want to complete the thought.

Judy pulled herself together, “OK,” She talked to herself out loud, “I managed to find the first bits of their trail from the edge of the forest and followed it to this tree...” her voice trailed off. 

Although a nighttime search would ultimately be a delay to her, last night she had made it to a tree where she found a tuft of fur caught on a tree root, in the sun she could now see it was a sandy brown. But that wasn’t the only thing the daylight illuminated, she could see small splotches of blood on a rock close to where she found the tuft of fur.

“Oh no.” The doe’s heart sank. One of her siblings, presumably precious little Cotton by the looks of the fur, was hurt.

Apparently the siblings had somehow kept on moving in spite of Cotton’s injury. Other than the little bit of blood loss seen on the rock, the snowfall in the forest seemed to have covered most of the paw trail. Progress would be slow for Judy’s search, it would take a fine tooth comb approach to follow their trail. 

Just the same, Judy would never give up that easily. A patch of fur here, a drop of blood there, snapped branches and twigs, the occasional preserved pawprint, it all served to bring her closer and closer to her lost family.

It was almost nightfall again when she found the end of the bunny trail. But there was no relief for Judy here either. She could see the evidence of where the bunnies had laid to rest, but even more so, she saw the signs of a new trail. One that made her blood freeze in her veins. 

She grasped a strand of fur with shaking paws and lifted it to her eyes, even in the last shred of sunlight, it was unmistakably a longer orange hair that sat where her younger siblings had been. Her heart clenched. 

_ A fox. Of course a fox would find them.  _ She thought bitterly. 

The thought of her youngest siblings being taken by a fox, _What would he do to them? What if he already…_ _No, I won’t give up! I have to try!... for them!_

Judy never was one to care about odds. If her siblings were captured by a fox, she would simply get them back. And if the fox had done anything to hurt her siblings, she would make it pay.

Judy looked at the surrounding snow, most of everything had been covered up, however she saw signs of fox prints that she deemed worthy to follow. By now, night had completely fallen once more, and her vision had it’s limitations. The trail was already faint, and now she risked losing it if she tried to continue. This time, with a clearer state of mind, Judy climbed a tree, and decided to wait out the night.

Sleep would be a light anxious thing for the rabbit, but when the first ray of sunlight of morning would come, she would be off on a fox hunt. 

\-----

Unbenounced to the rabbit, a certain red fox would be conducting his own search of the trail tomorrow morning. He promised himself he would make sure to wake up extra early, so he could do everything he could for the kits that he so dearly cared for. 

_ At the first ray of sunlight, I better head out.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you may have been waiting on the confrontation, but I really needed to develop Judy a little more before the confrontation. It has been very interesting to see all the thoughts on the story's progression here and on ff.net, I honestly love it, helps me realize angles (and blind spots) of the story that I have to consider as I move it forward. 
> 
> I have already began working on the next chapter, and with all this 'stay at home, can't go anywhere anyways' time, there shouldn't be too long of a wait.  
> I've been really getting into writing this story, it makes me happy to write it. :)


	8. An Unexpected Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick sets off to search, Judy closes in on where her siblings are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These conflict scenes are difficult for me to write. Outside of this story, I've never written anything with physical confrontation. I think it worked out though.  
> Btw, let me know if i need to turn on the violence Archive warning. I'm not sure if this is considered graphic or not.

**An Unexpected Meeting.**

Nick stirred awake very early that morning, one benefit of the bunny kits was that their hyperactivity made sure he fell asleep quickly when they all went to bed at nightfall. It had ensured a very good night's sleep for the tod. 

Even so, Nick still wasn’t a morning mammal, and he probably wouldn’t have been thrilled to discover that he actually awoke a good hour before dawn. Fortunately, it was a fact he couldn’t tell from inside his underground den.

The fire had died down in the night and only a very dim glow from the coals remained. For Nick, it was still plenty to see the cute view in front of him. Cuddled together under his tail were Ollie and Ashes, the latter of which was very lightly snoring. This got a chuckle out of the fox.

Nick had yet to see Cotton, but judging by the weight on top of his head, he had a pretty good idea where she was. Nick angled his eyes up and saw the tips of long, brown ears stretching over the top of his head and above his eyes. 

Cotton had very clearly moved throughout the night again, this time resting squarely on the center of Nick's head between his pointed ears. 

Nick silently chortled at the little doe.  _ What am I gonna do with you, Cottontail? _

Nick didn’t want to leave the comfort of his bed, but he knew he should start preparing for his journey and set out enough food for the kits to be able to comfortably stay in the den for the day. 

He had already decided that he wouldn’t bring the kits on this trip; they were safer if they stayed put until he knew exactly what the situation was. Besides, the fox’s den was well hidden, and he didn’t want the kits out in the open forest. 

_ I won’t risk them _ .

The red fox carefully lifted the sandy brown doe off of his head and gently sat her next to her siblings. He would’ve gotten away with the maneuver too, if the snoozing doe hadn’t firmly gripped one of his paws like it was a teddy bear. Nick tried to unwrap the doe off of his paw without waking her, but it was no use. He was in the bunny’s clutches.

“Cotton... Cottontail,” Nick softly cooed. 

The doe’s eyes started to creak open, and when she saw her fox friend a tired smile lit up the kit's face. Nick could tell she was about to talk loud enough to wake up her siblings, so he softly shushed the doe, 

“Cotton, it’s really early, I need you to let me go so I can make some breakfast, but you go back to bed, ok?” 

Cotton released Nick’s paw. The fox gently began to replace Ashes’ and Ollie’s foxtail blanket with a linen one as he climbed out of bed. The little brown doe may have released Nick’s paw, but she certainly wasn’t going back to bed. 

Cotton silently followed the tod to the storage spot. When the fox opened the enclave, she saw the various contents within. A certain container caught the brown bunny’s eye, she whispered loudly to her new favorite friend, 

“Mister Nick, what’s that?” She asked as she pointed at a container full of crickets.

_...She followed me to the supply cabinet.  _ Nick wasn’t annoyed with the bun, more so at his ‘predatory instincts’ that failed to alert him to his apparent long-eared stalker.

Nick kneeled on the floor to talk to the little doe, “Well Cotton, these are crickets, they’re a type of bug.” The doe nodded in recognition at the insect as Nick continued, “You know how you have to eat your veggies or you might get sick?”

“Yeah.” the doe answered.

“Well, I have to eat things like bugs or even sometimes fish or I’ll get really sick.”

“I don’t want you to get sick!” The bunny covered her muzzle, as she almost broke her not so quiet whisper.

“Don’t worry Cotton, I won’t get sick, I have plenty of things to help me with that.” Nick let out a half suppressed laugh at the bunny’s reaction, he had expected a confused, cautious look.

_ You bunnies, so full of surprises _ . He smiled at the doe with affection, an affection that grew deeper for each of the kits everytime he looked at them.

-0-0-

Nick spent the next hour preparing things for the kids to snack on for the day. By the end of it, he had placed a number of edible goodies on his sewing table for the bunnies to indulge in while he was away. 

Still, he wanted them to start the day off with a real home cooked meal. So the fox tested his paw, frying up his mother’s old hashbrown recipe… It wasn’t the same, but it was still pretty good and he knew the kits would appreciate the cooked meal. 

Nick left the breakfast for the bunnies on the sewing table with the other foods before preparing his supply bag for his short journey. None of this had escaped Cotton’s sight.

“Mister Nick?”

“Yes, Cottontail?”

“Where are you going?”

Nick planned on waking up all the bunnies for the explanation, but he felt that Cotton could tell Ashes and Ollie where he went when they woke up. 

_ Let sleeping bunnies lie, right? _

Nick sat at the table, and before he could register what was happening, Cotton had already clambered into his lap to listen to what the fox had to say. This caught Nick off guard, but he was helpless to deny the little doe.

The fox explained to Cotton how he would be gone for the day, and how he would see if there were any other bunnies that they may be able to reunite with. Most importantly though, Nick explained how they were to under NO circumstances leave the den until he returned. 

At the end of it, Nick tightly wrapped the doe in his arms and hugged her fiercely, “It would hurt me too bad if something happened to you guys, that’s why I want you three to stay here, ok? You have to stay  safe Cottontail, promise me that?”

“I promise to stay  safe , Mister Nick.” The doe hugged the fox back, she was saddened that Mister Nick didn’t want her to go with him. 

“Hey now, no bunny frowns either, ok?” Nick smiled at the doe and booped her nose with a clawed digit. Cotton giggled at the fox and returned the grin.

“Will you eat with me, Mister Nick?” The little bunny grabbed a bowl of hash browns without bothering to move from the fox or wait for an answer. It was hardly even a question. In her mind, he was going to even if he said no.

He happily granted the request for the doe. A mischievous smile took over Nick’s face as he used his claws to pinch some of the fried potatoes from the bunny’s bowl for him to eat.

“Hey!” The doe giggled at Mister Nick, “Eat your chirpies instead!”

“Chirpies?” the fox asked quizzically.

“That’s what we call the bugs you eat, ‘cause they go chirp, churp, chirp!..” Cotton said cheerily. She continued to silently mimic the chirping sound between bites of hashbrowns.

So instead of pilfering from the kit’s bowl of potatoes, Nick dug in the supply bag he previously prepared and ate a few of the ‘chirpies,’ very careful to not show his teeth in front of his companion... Not that she would’ve noticed, she was too enthralled in her own breakfast to watch Nick eat.

After their breakfast, Nick hugged Cotton one last time, stoked the fire and made sure Ashes and Ollie were warm and snug in their blanket before departing from the foxhole. 

As Nick exited his home, the first light of dawn brightly shone through the forest. The air was still cold, but his tunic and fur would do plenty to keep him warm on his trek. The tod reached into his supply bag and pulled out a familiar red bandana. 

_ Dad, mom, I’ll make you proud.  _ Nick thought as he clutched the bandana. 

It wasn’t lost on Nick that he was beginning his journey in a very similar way to the night that he found the kits.

Little did Nick know, a certain sandy brown doe wasn’t about to stay put in the den. 

“Mister Nick,” the bunny whispered, “you said I have to stay  safe , but I’m  safest if I’m with you…” And with her reasoning, a certain bunny kit justified secretly following a red fox down the trail.

-0-0-

Nick had a lot on his mind as he retraced his steps from that fateful night. 

_ What if I don’t find anyone?  _

This question didn’t really trouble Nick too badly, he already had an answer for that. The tod would simply take them in as his own. 

_ Protect… No matter the cost. _

It was the other possibility that had his tail in knots,  _ What if I do find someone? _

Now that was the million dollar question. Nick had grown so very fond of the kits, and he knew that if they had a family to return to it would be extremely selfish, maybe even evil, of him to hold onto them… 

Nick groaned deeply,  _ Why did I have to get so attached?  _

He knew that answer too. These kits had a knack for getting under his fur in the best possible way. How could he not grow to love them? 

_ Love _ _? Do I already love them? Karma…  _

Similar to his walk on the night he found the bunnies, the fox’s deep thoughts served to bring him further down the trail than he realized. Unknown to Nick, this inattentive walking led him into another mammal's sights… 

When Judy had first encountered a fox on her scouting mission so long ago, it had ambushed her. It was ironic to her how this vulpine could be so much more conspicuous than the last one she had encountered.

From a tree, the grey doe could already see that this fox wasn’t really like that one. This one was leisurely walking along the path she had been thoroughly trailing. Not skulking, not stalking… just walking along at a normal pace.

When she had first seen the red predator, Judy had almost jumped out of her fur. The memories of the menacing Gideon Grey resurfaced, and she quickly climbed the nearest tree in preparation to defend herself…. But this fox didn’t even acknowledge her presence. In fact, it hardly seemed to pay attention to any of its surroundings at all.

Judy’s grip tightened around her spear,  _ what if this is the fox that found… _

She steeled her nerves. It certainly matched the color of the fur strand she had found. If this was the same fox, she knew she’d have to capture it. She came up with a plan quickly: She would simply jump the fox and incapacitate it with her spear, then she could force it to tell her where her siblings are.

The fox continued it’s stroll, oblivious to the predatory rabbit in a tree ahead of him. Judy’s mind was racing as she prepared herself to jump the approaching fox. 

_ Just a little bit closer…. And…. NOW!  _ The rabbit used it’s powerful haunches to launch out of the tree at the unsuspecting fox, her spear directly pointed at the fox’s thigh.

Nick’s thoughts were still muddled, but something new had gained his curiosity,  _ a scent of a rabbit? _

He had the idea of going to find a rabbit clan, and now, on his way back to the trail, he caught the scent of another rabbit! 

_ What are the chances? _ The tod thought amused, unaware of the impending attack. __

As Nick mulled the thought over, in his peripheral, he caught a grey blur coming towards him. If he had been paying attention beforehand, perhaps he would have had time to dodge the creature's assault. As it was now, the impact was inevitable. 

“Ahhh!” Nick began to yip from a sharp pain radiating from his left thigh. He swatted at whatever terrible animal had struck his leg. 

His mind was racing, _Karma!_ _How could I have been so careless to let another predator sneak up on me!_

Nick knew he had to get away from his attacker immediately if he wanted any chance of survival. The forest was cruel and second chances were rare; not every mammal can have their natural predator come to their rescue like the bunny kits did. 

The now bleeding fox frantically limped to a nearby tree as he swatted the creature away from him. Nick was intently aware that his leg was a bloody mess, already he could feel his warm lifeblood run down his leg.  _ Karma help me, this is bad! _

_ Serendipity, I got him!  _ Judy’s mind was sharply tuned at this point. She got the fox! And judging by its pained yips, she got it good. 

Strangely, in the back of her mind she had the slightest niggle of... _ guilt? Why would I feel guilty about this? _

She couldn’t place it, perhaps it was the terrible yelps of anguish in the predator’s yips. No doubt, he was seriously hurt, and he had not been expecting it in the least. 

Perhaps the feeling of guilt was why her focus eased for just a second. ...A second long enough for the fox to almost make her pay for her lapsed concentration. The animal had swatted at her! And had she not been quicker, she would’ve gotten hurt. As it stood though, her spear worked great at blocking the fox’s blow. Although, her light weight ensured that his hit pushed her back a short distance. 

_ See! You can’t ever let your guard down with a predator! _

The hit did nothing to damage Judy’s resolve, she quickly recovered from the swat and refocused on her adversary. Swiftly, she grasped that the fox was attempting to retreat into the nearby brush. 

“Stop right there, fox!” The rabbit yelled in a commanding voice. 

It seemed Judy’s voice was enough to disorient the pred even further because the animal tripped as it attempted to limp to a nearby tree. The fox did his best to recover from the fall, but ultimately all it could do was lean it’s back against the tree and take a somewhat defensive posture from the bunny.

Nick hadn’t been expecting words to be exchanged. True, some predators enjoyed taunting their prey, but that was usually for an intimidation tactic. His attacker already had the advantage from the initial ambush. Any of his natural predators wouldn’t need words after such an effective strike. 

The fox’s panicked overthinking on the matter didn’t serve to help him though. At the unexpected voice, Nick tripped at the tree he had been limping towards. 

Dear  _ Karma, I’m a goner! _ The fox leant against the tree for support and prepared to face the fierce….  _ Rabbit? _

Nick found himself face to face with a very angry, although, for some reason his brain kept thinking of the word pretty, rabbit.

Judy had the spear firmly grasped and pointed at the predator, her violet eyes were hard as she stared at the cornered tod. It’s fur color was a definite match to where she found her siblings. 

“WHERE ARE THEY, FOX!?!”

-0-0-

Cotton had followed behind Nick from a distance, he really was easy to tail! Of course, the diminutive doe had thought she had just been really, really good at sneaking. She had kept a little distance and had hidden behind many bushes and trees over the course of the trail. The fox had been none the wiser.

Cotton wondered when she should reveal herself to Mister Nick. That had been her subject of debate since she had snuck out of the den this morning. She had followed him all this way! 

She decided that when they were far enough down the trail that Nick wouldn’t just pick her up and carry her back to the den, she would show herself. And as she mentally debated this thought behind a bush, she heard the fox yelp in pain. 

“Mister Nick?” she whispered in fright from behind the bush. The doe peeked her head around the bush to where Mister Nick had been, and saw the last thing she had expected. 

It was Judy! And she… she was hurting Mister Nick?! The poor little kit was both fearful and confused. Why would Judy hurt her friend? She knew that Mister Nick didn’t do anything! 

With shaky legs, Cotton stood and began to run to the fox and her oldest sister with only one one thing on her mind: she had to stop Judy!

-0-0-

Nick heard the pretty/angry rabbit speaking but he couldn’t form words at the moment. He was one, in a very large amount of pain and losing blood, and two, in shock that ‘the predator’ was a cute rabbit of all things. His mind was shot.

The lack of response had angered the grey doe. 

_ He isn’t going to answer?  _ Judy thought furiously,  _ Is he trying to trick me? _

Judy ran the spear into the fox’s right shoulder, causing the vulpine to begin another series of distressed yips. 

The warrior-like rabbit withdrew the spear and pointed it back at the predator again. 

“Where are they, fox! I’m not playing games!” 

Hurting the predator didn’t necessarily make Judy feel happy, but another feeling that manifested caught her by surprise- control. For the first time in the last few days, Judy finally felt like she had control in her life again, and that, well that felt good.

And she also had to admit, it felt right being able to put a fox in its place. But it was a feeling that wasn’t meant to last, the feeling of control was shattered with the sound of a frightened, distraught voice. 

A voice that didn’t come from the fox.

“Stop!” The word was said with a sad, scared, panicky tone. One that gained both the grey rabbit’s attention as well as the fox’s. Cotton Hopps was rushing to the scene as fast as her little legs would carry her.

For Judy the sight of Cotton was a major relief, (one of her siblings was alive!) but it was also a major cause to worry; there was a dangerous predator right there! 

“Don’t worry Cotton, I won’t let him hurt you!” Judy said trying to reassure her sibling that everything was ok. She kept her spear pointed at the fox daring it to try anything.

“Stop hurting Mister Nick!” the sandy brown kit yelled at the top of her lungs.

This had caught Judy completely off guard.  _ Mister Nick? Who’s N- _

Before Judy could even ask the question in her mind, Cotton leapt at the fox’s chest and put herself between him and Judy. “Don’t hurt him!” Cotton’s golden eyes were filled with worry, fear and tears as she did her best to protect her new friend from her sister.

“Cotton, what are you doing! get away from it!” Judy sputtered in alarm at the doe’s obviously stupid decision to jump in a fox’s arms.

Cotton began to cry as she spoke to her sister “No!! I won’t let you hurt Mister Nick anymore! He- he’s my friend!”

The fox wrapped its uninjured arms around little Cotton as he tried to calm the doe with a soft voice, 

“I-it’s ok Cottontail, I-I’m okay, r-really.” The fox was most definitely not ok, and the kit knew it.

“You’re hurt Mister Nick! You’re bleeding...”

Judy was completely and utterly bewildered at the sight in front of her. She couldn’t even begin to process why her sibling was talking to the fox, much less why she would jump into its arms. 

Her hindbrain wanted to pull her sibling from the fox and get her as far from it as possible, but when she heard the fox speaking back to her sibling so… tenderly it complicated everything in her mind. 

“You know this... fox, Cotton?” Judy asked, mystified.

Cotton didn’t look up at her older sister, instead she started to put her paws over Nick’s bleeding shoulder wound, little paws trying their best to cover the hole. The tears were still flowing from the little bunny as she remembered the first question Ollie had asked Nick the night before- ‘ _ Why did you save us?’  _

“He s-saved us.” The doe managed to say between sobs. Nick gently pet the doe’s ears with his good arm as she both sniveled and continued to do her best to cover the puncture wound with her small paws. 

...In a way, it was picture worthy, an adult fox and a bunny kit both trying to comfort the other the best they could. Like something that would come out of an old tale.

_ Why is this fox petting Cotton’s ears? Why is this predator being nice? Was this all a trick? _ These and a thousand more questions swirled around in Judy’s head. Truly, none of this made sense at all to the rabbit.

But what truly puzzled Judy the most were the eyes of this predator. She had seen the eyes of so many weasels, racoons, opossums, and even skunks. Their eyes were sleazy and opportunistic, sometimes cold or filled with arrogance... or a combination of all of the above.

Not to mention, the eyes of the large fox that she encountered on her scouting mission years ago. Those eyes… they were murderous and fierce and as cold as ice….everything this fox’s eyes were not. 

All she could see in this fox’s eyes were care, warmth for the little doe, and  _ love _ _?  _

_ Could a fox even feel something like that?  _

Without even realizing it, her body relaxed and she lowered her spear. For a moment she had gotten lost in the warm, verdant eyes of the  _ mammal _ . 

Judy shook her head clear and stiffened back up. 

_ I can’t let my guard down! This is a fox, a predator, it’s not like other mammals! _

But then Cotton’s words rang in her head again-  _ He saved us.  _

Judy huffed, she couldn’t keep this up, this was all too much to take in. So, with a deep sigh, she sat down in the snow. 

She was a strong doe, but...  _ how in Serendipity’s name am I supposed to handle this!  _

She felt like she had lost everything. Her home, her family. And then, when it looked like she would finally be able to get control of the situation, the strangest of possible scenarios had occurred and she was utterly stumped. 

Cotton’s words rang through her mind again,  _ He saved us. What did she mean by that? _

Judy looked at the fox and kit, and with a much softer voice this time, she asked, “What do you mean  _ he _ saved you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have a concern that my writing style may have made this chapter difficult to follow. I didn't want to use the POV writing style format, and I think I smoothed over this enough that you can see when it's Judy or when it's Nick perspective.  
> Let me know if something needs to change.  
> Also, wanted to ask, is this chapter too much at once? This was originally going to be two chapters, but I combined them as one to prevent cliffhanging.  
> Anyways, any advice is appreciated!  
> A Thanks to all readers :)


	9. A Shaky, well, Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflict, causes and cures. Patching wounds, finding what you like, and trying to get home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter I've written so far! This one took a lot of time, but it was fun getting it to work.

**A Shaky, well, Everything.**

As Judy sat in the snow listening to Cotton ramble on, she was mentally debating if she should believe such a story from her sibling. That a fox would take in three bunny kits? That it would rescue them and take care of them?… It was crazy! But Cotton was never one to lie… and why else would Cotton be clinging so fiercely to this fox? 

But even more so there was something else that was bothering Judy...

_ WHY ARE HIS EYES SO WARM!? _ The thought was frustrating her to no end. Judy couldn’t explain why she kept catching herself staring at the fox’s eyes while her sister recounted the things ‘Mister Nick’ had done for her, Ashes, and Ollie. The tod’s eyes reminded her of the lush colors of spring and the new plantlife that came with it. Strangely, they put her at ease. 

The fox’s gaze was as captivating to her as it was disarming, and it wasn’t until she saw the slightest…  _ smirk?  _ Yes, indeed a smirk from the wounded fox.... That she realized the predator was staring back at her. 

When she realized he was staring back, she snapped out of her daze. Judy dropped her ears behind her back to conceal a light blush of her embarrassment and broke eye contact with the fox.

_ Violet _ , Nick thought.  _ Her eyes are violet _ . Nick didn’t even know eyes could be that color.  _ They’re really pretty _ , his brain chimed in. 

Nick was startled by that thought.  _ She just stabbed you… twice! A-at least try to be angrier!  _

But Nick was having a hard time being angry. Despite the pain, the whole situation was almost funny to him. I mean, his attacker was a (pretty) rabbit doe with (pretty) violet eyes, and his savior was a cute little bunny kit who refused to leave the fox’s lap. 

The absurdity of the situation was not lost on the fox. 

Three days ago he had been completely alone, minding his own business, just trying to get through life. And now he has saved, been attacked by, and has been saved by bunnies, the natural prey of his kind.

_ Huh, Karma, I have to say, I never would’ve thought I’d be in this situation _ . The slightest of smirks flickered on his face as he looked at the grey rabbit. 

Nick hadn’t realized that they had both been staring until she suddenly broke eye contact with him. He could've sworn he saw the insides of her ears turn a tinge red before they flopped out of sight behind her back. 

With the trance broken between the bunny and fox, the voice of little Cotton started registering to both mammals again.

“And then after that, Mister Nick built a snowbunny with me and- and he made bunangels with Ollie and-!” 

“Hey Cottontail,” Nick interrupted the doe, “I think she gets the point.”

At his words, the little bun began to calm down from her ramble and looked at Nick again. The tod had a pained smile as he looked back at the sandy brown doe, Cotton still looked very worried for her fox friend. 

Instinctively, Nick lifted his paw to rub the young kit’s ears, but also saw the flinch of the grey bunny across from him. The fox began to lower his paw again so as to not startle the spear-happy rabbit. Before he could really pull away though, his paw was quickly snatched by sandy brown paws into a hug by the little doe. 

“Mister Nick?”

The fox refocused his attention on the kit now clinging onto his wrist, “Yes, Cottontail?”

“Can we go home?” 

Nick didn’t know what to say to the request as a happy thought entered his mind,  _ home. She called it home!  _ Oh, how he wanted to sweep up the little rabbit and just say yes as he carried her back to  _ their _ home, but it was complicated now. 

He didn’t feel very up to walking at the moment… not to mention, he didn’t have a clue on what to do with the new addition of the warrior-bunny that attacked him.

Nick looked back to the grey doe and realized that she had been staring at them, her nose twitching. It occurred to Nick that this was probably one of Cotton’s sisters. A sister that probably came all this way looking for them after seeing something very traumatizing... 

And now that this (pretty) grey rabbit finally has the chance to see one of her few remaining family members… 

_ Cotton hasn’t even gone to her yet. _

Granted, it was for a good reason. Still, Nick imagined this had to be torture for the grey doe. Not the same kind of torture it was for him to be skewered like a kebob, but torture none the less. 

A small part of him wanted to feel vindicated about it for the pain the grey rabbit inflicted on him, but that small part of vindication was overwhelmed by guilt. Nick knew what it was like to lose family. 

_ If I had one more chance to see mom or dad… _

Nick snapped out of his thoughts, and answered Cotton, “Well, Cottontail, I’d love to go home,”

Nick smiled, still trying to put a mask over his pain for his little companion, “but I think your sis wants to speak to you first.”

Judy had been lost in thought as she stared at the fox’s and Cotton’s interaction.  _ Home? Cotton feels like she’s at home with the fox?  _

And the predator had looked so happy at the words too, Cotton had even embraced the pred’s clawed paw. Didn’t the kit know how dangerous that was?!

Even so, Judy was starting to feel numb about the crazy situation between the fox and bunny kit. Yes, the exchange between the two was confusing, strange, and put her on edge, but it paled in comparison to the loneliness Judy had been feeling since she found the destroyed warren. The grey rabbit was much more bothered by her younger sister hardly acknowledging her presence (aside from her disapproval of the ambush and the retelling of how the fox had ‘saved’ them, that is.) 

Judy couldn’t believe it, but she was feeling jealous. This was her family and she came all this way to save them, not deal with... well, whatever this was. 

And then Judy heard the fox’s words. ‘ _ I think your sis wants to speak to you.’ _ Mentally Judy already had an answer for the fox, _ YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT I WANT TO SPEAK TO  _ _ MY _ _ SISTER, FO- _

_ “ _ No _.” Cotton said. _

Shattered. Judy was shattered. Although it was only a word from a bunny kit, it felt more like a punch to the gut by a bear. 

“No?” the grey doe quivered at her little sister’s response. 

“Not until you say you’re sorry to Mister Nick.” the sandy brown doe said matter-of-factly. 

_ But he- he’s… well he would have… Serendipity, he’s a fox! He’s the dangerous one!  _ Judy exasperatedly thought. 

To Judy, that demand was preposterous. ‘Mister Nick’ is the predator, he should be the one apologizing for what his kind does to her’s! 

Then the words that Cotton had said earlier came through Judy’s mind again… _ He saved us.  _ Judy had listened to the story, or at least she did when she wasn’t exploring a verdant green gaze. 

This fox had rescued them, bandaged Cotton’s wound, fed them, and even played with them… and she… well, she attacked and stabbed him… twice. 

And as much as Judy didn’t trust foxes, she did trust her sister. The Hopps clan always trusts their own… If what Cotton said was true, and judging by the scene in front of her it very much was, then Judy was definitely in the wrong. 

And as if to back up what Cotton had said, her brain couldn’t help but attach the feelings of warmth in the emerald stare she had locked with before.

  
  


Reluctantly, Judy swallowed her pride and began to say words that she would have never thought she would utter, “Listen, fox-”

“Nick.” The fox interjected with a slight smirk that poorly hid amusement at how this was playing out, much to the grey rabbit’s annoyance.

“Listen, Nick,” the rabbit corrected, irritation partially concealed, “I thought you had kitnapped my siblings and I was just trying to get them back. I- I’m sorry I stabbed you twice... Once would have been enough to have restrained you to have figured that out.” 

Ok. So change takes time. 

The reactions of the kit and fox were polar opposite. The kit was angry at her sister and was very much about to throw the biggest fit of a lifetime, but she was cut off by the fox’s…. Laughter? 

Yes, laughter. The fox couldn’t control his laughing fit. The ‘apology’ was just too much for him! He couldn’t place why it was so funny, perhaps because the bunny actually looked penitent and sincere as she gave the worst apology in the history of apologies.

It made him guffaw until his wounds forced him to calm back down. By the end of it, he had two bunnies looking at him as if he had lost his mind, and who knows, maybe he had.

“I’m sorry,” the red fox said, wiping away a tear while ironically giving a better apology than the rabbit had. “You bunnies, you’re all-” the fox caught his breath, “You’re all just so stubborn, it's almost endearing.”

The fox had an amused smirk that shone through the pain as he looked at the grey doe, “Apology accepted.” 

He knew it wasn’t exactly the best apology, and he certainly was still hurting from what she had done, but he could meet her where she was. Besides, he really would prefer getting home so he could try his hand at stitching the wounds properly. 

Not to mention, getting back to Ashes and Ollie who Cotton had apparently left at home alone. That was a problem the fox stored in his head for later. 

_ Hopefully they aren’t worried _ . The fox thought.

Cotton wanted to protest her sister’s apology, but Nick simply rustled her ears and said, “Now Cotton, if the apology is good enough for me, it’ll have to be good enough for you.” 

The doe pouted at the fox. 

“Cottontail, At least tell your sister that you're ok.”

Cotton didn’t move from the fox’s lap, but she did relent at the tod’s request, “Juju, I’m ok…” she couldn’t help but tack on the end, “because of Mister Nick...”

Judy’s ears hung low, she really wanted to embrace her littlest sibling, hug her as tight as she could, but apparently she had really upset the younger bunny. 

She should’ve just given a better apology to the fox, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it. It was still a fox, they were dangerous, and with her limited knowledge at the time she felt she didn’t have a choice. The image of a hateful, icy blue pair of eyes came to mind, causing a shiver to run through the grey doe. 

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a genial, “Great!” The red fox was smiling, a hint of mischief was in his voice. “Now, Juju,” Judy tensed slightly with the use of her little sister’s pet name for her, “I guess since I found you... or rather you found me... We should go back to my den.”

The rabbit blushed at his words.  _ How dare he make a suggestion like that! What kind of doe does he think I _ -

“Ashes and Ollie are probably getting worried since somebunny didn’t stay behind and tell them what the plan was.” Nick said looking at an all of a sudden bashful Cotton.

Judy’s ears reddened again,  _ WHY DID I THINK THAT WAS WHAT HE MEANT! I’m so stupid!!!  _

“You know, for someone who hasn’t been stabbed, you sure don’t look so good.” The red fox remarked at the blushing bunny.

This made Judy snap out of her stupor fast. “I’M FINE, I’m fine. Just bring me to my siblings, fox.”

“I can’t.”

“What! Why not?!” Judy asked in desperation. 

She should’ve known the fox wouldn’t bring her to her siblings!  _ See _ !  _ You can’t trust a fox they onl- _

“I’m bleeding and I don’t know how well I can walk.”

_ Oh, right. _ Judy sighed. She knew her assumptions kept putting her in these situations. This was her fault.

“Okay, well,” the fox continued speaking, seeing her distress. “I have some bandages in my bag.” The fox gestured to a bag that had been dropped at the center of the path where she had ambushed him. “That would be a good start…”

Judy was hesitant at first, she still didn’t know exactly what she wanted to do. After a tense moment, she acquiesced to the fox’s request. After making sure there weren’t any weapons in the bag, Judy retrieved it for the fox. Cautiously, she sat the bag on the very edge of his limited reach.

This gesture wasn’t lost on the fox, he had a bit of an annoyed look on his face from what she could tell.

Nick knew that the bunny had a right to be apprehensive of him. His kind was generally dangerous, but this was starting to feel a bit ridiculous to him. 

_ Come on! Karma, at least put the bag where I don’t have to strain my wounds! _

Nonetheless, after the fox slid the sandy brown kit to his side, he was able to reach just far enough to drag the bag to him. He pulled out a collection of linen strips from the sack and started his first attempts to wrap the cloth around his thigh. 

With only one good arm, it proved more difficult than he thought. And after ten agonizing minutes passed without a lick of progress, he began to involuntarily whimper at the strain he was putting on his injuries. But Nick knew he would have to muscle through the pain, he couldn’t just leave bloody wounds untreated. 

_ If only I had an extra set of paws _ .

As if he had summoned help, Nick heard, “No. No, no, no, you’re not wrapping that right.” the grey doe spoke up. 

The fox looked at her, surprised she had something to say to him about the wounds she caused. Her nose was twitching again, fiercely. Apprehension and fear were in her eyes.

“Here, let me help.” The grey doe warily stepped closer to Nick, it was as if she was moving through thick mud at the pace she was approaching him. She clearly did not want to get close to the predator. 

Regardless, the brave doe approached the tod. She took the linens from his paws and began to wrap the wound on his leg, and then the wound on his shoulders. At first she looked like she would bolt if the fox had moved even the slightest bit, and her nose steadily twitched. 

Yet the grey doe continued to work on his wounds. And ever so slowly, she relaxed as she focused on the craft. She patched the injuries for the tod in a style that both covered the injuries well and hardly hindered movement. Clearly she had field-dressed wounds before.

Nick had been a bit irritated at how the bunny had first dropped the bag too far away. But now, 

_ She’s treating my wounds even though she's scared of me? _

This had subverted the fox’s expectations entirely. Not only was she patching the wounds for him, but her anxiety seemed to fade as she truly put all she had into fixing his wounds. 

For a moment, it was like she forgot he was even a fox. He couldn’t help but marvel at the doe who had previously hurt him. He was genuinely impressed.

Judy patched the wounds perfectly, not a drop of blood would escape the confines of the linen. And... she had done it for a fox. It was amazing that she would even get that close to one (in a way that wasn’t assault), but it had to be done for her family. 

Strange enough, it wasn’t as bad as she had thought it would’ve been. She could tell he was trying to stay as still as possible for her, an action that made her feel, dare she say,  _ safe _ near the predator.

And that wasn’t all. As she was close to the predator, a familiar odor underneath his fox musk had hit her nose _.  _ This fox had a flowery scent about him. A smell she and her siblings knew very well. 

_ He smells like violets... _

Judy’s heart eased at the enjoyable thoughts of home that the scent gave her. Her parents would always collect the flowers to mix in for herbal remedies. The doe remembered how her mother would make various elixirs and poultices to help her father after a hard day’s work of farming. Often, Judy would find the flower on her scouting missions and would happily bring them back to her parents.

The smell had a strong, comforting effect on the rabbit. The sweet floral scent made her feel, even if it was only for a moment, like she was  _ safe _ at home. By the time she had finished patching up the tod, even if for only that moment, her fear felt like it had vanished.

With the wounds now patched, the tod shakily stood up and took a few suffering steps forward before catching himself on a nearby tree. It was obvious that he was in too much pain to walk on his own. 

Judy sighed deeply, she would have to be close to the fox again. Very close, indeed if she wanted to get to her other siblings anytime soon, she would have to help him walk... For some reason she couldn’t quite place, the thought didn’t bother her as much anymore.

“Hey, Fox…”

“Yes, Carrots?”

“Carrots?!” The rabbit said both flustered and a bit angry at the obviously demeaning nickname. Her thoughts of helping the fox were temporarily derailed at his antics.

The fox had a satisfied smirk, “If you’re going to call me fox, then I figured I’d call you Carrots.”

The fox made a pretty convincing point, even Cotton was smiling at it, or at least that’s what the fox had thought she was smiling at...

“Mister Nick gave you a nickname too, Judy! THAT MUST MEAN HE LIKES YOU! He gave me a nickname because he said he liked me and then we became friends and...!!” The sandy brown doe prattled on over this development.

The bunny kit’s statement had caught both the fox and the rabbit completely off guard. Thoughts of getting back to the den quickly burst into flames at the new emotional fire that sprung up.

For Nick the thoughts in his brain began to go into overdrive.  _ I don’t like her! I Just gave her a nickname to get back at her! I- I-  _

Unfortunately for Nick, even though he didn’t have the chance to meet many mammals, he only gave nicknames to mammals when it felt right, and it only ever felt right to give mammals he liked nicknames _. _ A very incriminating fact that the tod was helpless to ignore.

Nick blushed intensely at his mind’s revelation. His tail fell between his legs, as he had to admit, even though this bunny had hurt him, he was already impressed with the doe. From what he could tell, she had managed to track her siblings this far, and even though she was fearful of him, she patched his wounds with such care and focus. 

It felt, even if it was only for a moment... like she had trusted him when she was patching his wounds. 

Nick had even felt comfortable enough that he purposely teased her a bit. He wasn’t even sure where that had come from, he could just tell she had a strong personality underneath her harsh exterior, and it felt… right to fluster her.

It also didn’t help that his brain kept thinking about her eyes. He began to curse the bunny for infiltrating his mind.

_ Stupid, pretty, stubborn bunny and her stupid, pretty, violet eyes and her stupid bunny weirdness.. _

For Judy, it wasn’t going much better. Cotton’s declaration threw her mind in a frenzy as well. She could tell by how much her ears were burning that they had turned redder than the fox in front of her, prompting her to hide them behind her back again.

_ He doesn’t like me! He’s a fox! Foxes don’t like bunnies and bunnies don’t like foxes. _

Her brain halted at the second half of that statement, why had she felt the need to say bunnies don’t like foxes? Cotton hadn’t said anything about that, but she couldn’t help but tack it on in her own thoughts.

And there they were again, green eyes that were filled with warmth and care. Clawed paws that petted Cotton’s sandy brown ears so gently, a fox that remained deathly still trying not to startle her, and the smell of familiar violets that whispered home. 

_ I DON’T LIKE HIM. He’s a fox, I can’t like him! _

Indeed, a fox and a bunny both silently pleaded, begged and bargained against their own minds, neither realizing the literal minutes that passed by in strained silence.

“Ummm. Juju? Mister Nick? Are you guys okay?” Cotton asked, wondering why they both short circuited.

At the bunny kit’s words, both of their brains kicked back on.

Nick was the first to speak, “U-um, we should really get going! Ashes and Ollie are probably really worried.” He leaned down to pick up his supply bag, grunting in discomfort the whole way. He could already tell that walking back would prove to be a challenge.

“Y-yeah!” Judy agreed with a stutter, while simultaneously gathering her bag and flinging her spear over her back.

Cotton didn’t need any prompting to go home either, but she looked at the pained fox worriedly, “Mister Nick, how are you going to walk back?”

Before the fox had a chance to put on a face of bravado for the kit, the grey doe put herself under the fox’s arm and caused the fox to lean his weight onto her. 

“I’ll help him Cotton, don’t worry.” 

Judy’s nose was twitching again. Her fear of foxes wasn’t close to breaking, but she needed to see her other siblings… and, although she still didn’t want to admit it to herself, she was beginning to feel less and less fearful of this fox. At a whiff of violets her nose ceased twitching and a feeling of calm eased its way into her. She closed her eyes in a slight delight of the smell.

Another blush took over Judy’s face and ears as the fox eagerly leaned against the doe. The obvious relief from the ease of pressure on his leg was palpable to both bunnies.

“Thanks, Carrots.”

Judy noticed how soft his voice was in his thank you. It was filled with surprise, relief and gratitude. It made the doe smile, even with the use of the irritating nickname. Her blush deepened again. And For another moment, she forgot he was a fox.

It also reminded her that she had caused that pain. A niggle of guilt entered her conscience.

“I’m sorry.” Judy said, eyes downcast. 

“What?” the Fox responded, puzzled.

“I’m sorry,” the doe sighed under the weight of her building guilt and the fox that leaned on her, “That I attacked you.”

“You don’t have to apolo-”

Judy stuttered in her words, “I- I do, I was panicking and I did something rash and if Cotton hadn’t been here I-” She didn’t know why this was such a big deal. Nick was a fox, any other bunny wouldn’t have cared about an injured fox. Even so, that logic didn’t stop the water building in her eyes and the knot building in her throat. 

“You know I’ve noticed something,” the fox interrupted her, a sly smile appeared on his muzzle, “you bunnies, you’re so emotional.”

Judy huffed lightly, before letting out a weepy giggle. It was true, bunnies were emotional, so very emotional.

At the sound of her giggle, the fox smiled, “There we go, deep breath.”

The grey doe let out an airy laugh, as the fox’s humor dispelled the tears.

Little Cotton decided this was the time to remind the two of her presence by hugging the side of her sister. She too had tears in her eyes, happy tears that her sister was finally trying to make amends with her fox friend. 

Judy placed an affectionate paw on her sister’s head with one arm while maintaining the fox with the other, before coordinating their first step back to the fox’s- No, back to  _ Nick’s _ den.

It was undoubtedly a rocky start, but as the three began their slow journey, it finally seemed that things were truly looking up.

**In an open field, a distance away from the Hopps Burrow**

“Boss,” A wolf with dark brown fur and a white muzzle approached the alpha of the pack. He shivered as he made his way in front of his intimidating superior.

“Speak.” the large grey Alpha commanded.

“I was wondering if we could go get Sapper’s body back. We need to return him to the ancestors.”

The large grey alpha did not look pleased. “I have decided against it.”

“But boss, we-!”

The tawny brown wolf’s words were cut off by a warning growl. “Don’t speak out of term, whelp.” His words were as gruff as his voice, “Do you know why I left his carcass to rot?”

The brown wolf submitted to the warning growl. He lowered his body to the ground and exposed his throat to the Alpha and asked, “Why, boss?”

A wicked grin spread across the Alpha’s muzzle at the subordinate wolf’s submission, he placed a forepaw on the brown wolf’s throat and pressed down, not enough to harm but enough to cause discomfort. “He was the weakest of us all. He couldn’t even survive against a longears.” 

The submitting wolf gulped at the boss’s response.

The Alpha gave a venomous look to his packmate, “Tell me Wolford, are you weak?”

The submitting wolf flinched, it was always frightening when the boss used his ‘name.’ “No, boss.” 

“Good,” with a venomous smile the Alpha removed his paw, “Then you should be able to drag the corpse back yourself.”

“Wh-what?” 

“Your request is granted, Wolford. I will allow you to retrieve the corpse and you alone.”

“But boss you just said-” He was cut off by another warning growl.

“I like your initiative, you asked me directly and privately on your own accord,” The leader looked harshly at his subordinate, “and that is why I will allow you to perform the burial rites and you alone…”

A grey paw found its way to the tawny brown throat again. Claws dug against the skin beneath the fur, “but you’re too soft, if you want to be strong you have to let go of the weak, whelp.” a small dribble of blood began to flow from Wolford’s throat.

The Alpha removed his paw from the brown wolf’s throat. “If you speak out of term again, you will join Sapper with our ancestors. Now go.”

The Alpha’s words were not tested. Only a shaky nod came from the subordinate brown canine, as he departed from the pack.

A male voice came from the shadows. “You’re too hard on him, Julius.” In the Alpha’s view was a solid black wolf, eye color and all, not afraid to address the Alpha by name.

A snort came from the Alpha. “Mind your place, Brute.” He reminded his packmate. 

Julius and Brute had been friends since they were both pups, but they too often would clash over leadership. In the end, Julius became Alpha and Brute his second-in-command, the Beta of the pack.

“Old friend, I’ll follow you anywhere. I just worry about the rest of the pack.”

At his words the Alpha softened his stance. “I know, Brute. You always have.” Indeed the grey wolf would never question his closest friend's loyalty to the pack or to him. The Alpha continued, “That Wolford has always been strong, but he’s too soft. He needs stiff guidance if he is to amount to anything in this pack. Otherwise he’ll be the next Omega, like Sapper was.”

The Beta hummed noncommittally. “I suppose so, Julius.”

And with that, the slight conflict was put to an end. Six wolves rested in a clearing, and one brown wolf began traversing his way back to a destroyed warren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Names are important and often have meaning, by the way.


	10. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They're homebound. I think the title covers the rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter compared to the previous one, yet somehow more difficult to write!

**Reunion**

Judy cast a concerned look at the mammal that leaned on her for support. The walk back to Nick’s den had been a difficult one so far. It started out well enough, but the further they walked the worse the fox’s breathing became. 

Her ears lowered a bit as she felt the ragged breath of the fox hit them as they traversed the trail. At first this was bothersome to the doe, a predator breathing down her neck, indeed if this had been any other situation she would’ve already taken action against him. 

However, with the smell of violets encircling the doe, she felt  _ safe.  _ And watching little Cotton skip down the trail in front of them eased her entirely. If Cotton felt safe with the fox, Judy would try her best to not be scared either. Afterall, if Judy was anything, she was a trier.

As they walked, Judy took furtive glances at the mammal beside her. It didn’t escape her that his pace had decelerated as they went, and he had to lean against the grey rabbit more and more. She even saw his eyes almost completely shut, no doubt flinching from the pain. The closer they inched back to his home, the more her concern grew. Still, she pressed on, supporting the mammal as he let out pained breaths on her ears and head. 

Other than the fox’s breathing and the occasional ramble from Judy’s sister, it had been a mostly silent journey. 

_ At least I can finally get a hold of myself.  _ Judy thought.

While Judy felt that she finally had a chance to reign in her emotions, Nick’s brain had chosen to do the opposite. 

He had spent much of the time marveling at how this bunny went from assault with a deadly weapon, to being underneath his arm and holding up much of his weight as she helped him walk back to his home. Her strength and ability to carry him was impressive to the fox, especially for her to only be as tall as his chest (not including her ears which wafted ever so close to his snout as they traveled.) 

He also enjoyed that her nose had stopped twitching. It made his chest swell with joy, as a feeling of trustworthiness swept over him. He’d been alone for so long, and when a mammal would willingly be this close to him he couldn’t help but be delighted. Nick could relax a little more, and that made him feel happy, so very happy.

But, out of everything about the rabbit that held Nick’s attention, it was definitely her scent. At first he only took note of the unmistakable scent of a rabbit, just like Cotton, Ashes and Ollie. But with her ears swaying in front of him he had realized there was something else. 

Something oh so very pleasant about her fragrance that he just couldn’t place. It was a smell of something intangible to the fox. And then it hit him, she was like the fresh scent after a torrential downpour _. She smells like rain. _

Nick chuckled lightly at this for two reasons. Firstly, he always loved to play in the rain as a kit. The feeling of the cold water in the Summer soaking into his fur felt invigorating when he was younger. Now, whenever a cold Summer rain fell, it would bring back the cherished memories of his father chasing him around to drag him back into their den. 

And secondly, from what he could tell, the smell just perfectly fit who this doe was. She assaulted him like a fierce storm when she had ambushed him. And when that ‘storm’ was over, and she steadied him as they walked, it gave him the same feeling that seeing a rainbow did after a bad storm- the worst was over. The storm was gone, leaving nothing but sunny skies and that delicious after rain perfume.

Nick couldn’t help but get lost in her scent. The cherished smell made him lose his mind in fond thoughts, memories… and something more, a feeling of yearning that he couldn’t place. Perhaps it was the desire to have a friend, or maybe just anyone close? The fox couldn’t place it. Being alone for so many years could lead anyone to desire a companion, even a formerly stab-happy one.

But figuring that out was the last thing on his mind. Right then, he just wanted more of it. So he drank in the scent of the grey doe. His steps slowed, and his breathing became ragged while he reveled in her aroma. His eyes became half-lidded as he indulged in it, he hadn’t even realized how deeply lost he was until her voice rang into his ears over his  _ panting _ . 

His brain snapped back to reality,  _ Why am I panting? _

“Fox- er, Nick? Are you ok?” Judy asked with concern evident on her face. “You’ve been breathing pretty hard and you’re slowing down. Should we stop?” 

She cast a guilt-ridden look at the fox, “It’s the leg, isn’t it?” 

Only at her words did Nick realize what he had been doing, he blushed underneath his red fur, and thanked Karma that she couldn’t see his ears from her angle. He went with her suggestion. 

“Y-yeah it hurts,” 

At least he wasn’t fully lying, the pain was actually increasing thanks to the long journey, even though he hadn’t realized how much it hurt thanks to the pleasant distraction underneath his nose. 

“B-but we shouldn’t stop, we're almost back now, so don’t worry about it!” He put on a nervous smile as they continued walking, it was a very poor mask for his emotions.

Even so, he wouldn’t make that mistake again. The fox chided himself,  _ Stupid _ ! Karma, what was that?  _ What’s gotten into me? _

While he was mulling that over, Judy realized that Nick wasn’t exaggerating about almost being back, as she watched her sister stop skipping and start vibrating with excitement.

“We’re finally baaack!!!” Cotton squealed gleefully.

Nick hid a mischievous smile, and took on a stern look, “Should I make you explain to Speckles and Grey why we were gone all day, Cottontail?”

The kit looked bashfully back at the fox, her ears fell behind her back as she gave him pouty golden eyes, “Mister Nick, I’m sorry.” 

Tears began to glisten in Cotton’s eyes, “You told me to be safe, a- and I wanted to be with you because I feel safest with you and-” The kit continued to ramble on unabated.

Nick’s heart broke at the kit’s words. He was only going to tease the little bunny, but now seeing her getting upset made him feel like a bully. She followed him because she felt safe, and now he was being a jerk!

He untangled himself from Judy’s support, and crouched down to the sandy brown doe. 

“Cottontail, it’s ok, I was just playing with you.” 

The fox gave a conspiratorial look at the grey doe behind him before whispering to the kit, “You really saved my tail back there from your sis.” 

Judging by the sigh behind him, his whisper wasn’t effective against the large ears of the older doe. Still, he gave a reassuring smile followed by a playful wink to his little companion. 

The brown doe giggled at the fox before rushing at him for a hug. Nick stifled a yelp from the bunny grazing his leg. He wasn’t exactly prepared for a sudden burst of doe kit in his lap. But he took it like a champ, and hugged the little doe back.

For Judy’s part, she just watched the scene play out. A scene that only a few hours ago would have made her rip her sister away from the fox and run to safety. But things were weird now; somehow this fox was not a threat, somehow his eyes weren’t the icy cold that she had seen with other predators, and somehow, in some strange turn of events, even she felt safe with him. 

And for whatever reason, she kept having this clenching pain in her chest as she watched him hold her little sister. She would’ve thought it was anxiousness of the predator or jealousy for her family if it wasn’t for the bizarre thought her brain had: 

_ He’s so good with kits. _

The rabbit blushed at the thought, but didn’t look away. When she thought it, she truly meant it purely as an observation. But analyzing the thought, for some odd reason, made her feel flustered.

_ Serendipity, what’s gotten into me? _

Judy may not have known it, but it was almost comedic that the fox she couldn’t pull her gaze from had mentally chided himself in a strikingly similar way earlier that day.

“Earth to Carrots! Carrots? Um, Judy, you with us?

She snapped back to reality at the use of her name, the fox was now standing before her. 

All she managed to irk out was a “Y-yeah.”

The fox gave her a quizzical look, but didn’t push the subject. Instead he gestured to a well hidden, very literal, hole in the ground. “Well,” She detected a bit of embarrassment in his body language, “It’s… nicer on the inside.” he said shyly.

Judy was surprised at Nick’s home. Turns out a fox’s den wasn’t much different from a rabbit’s burrow, although much better hidden and lacking a nearby garden.

She hadn’t given thought to what his home would look like, and the doe had never known that fox’s also lived underground. She had pictured some sort of cave, or hollow log, maybe even some sort of evil predator lair, not this inconspicuous hole in the forest floor, edged out by a tree and surrounded by snow..

Cotton didn’t even hesitate to enter the well concealed hollow in the ground. The kit was followed by the limping fox who gave Judy a reassuring smile, “Speckles and Grey are inside, you coming, Carrots?”

**Earlier That Day**

The warm blanket was nice and warm enough, but it paled in comparison to the fox tail blanket that had left the two bunny kits. The inferior covering slowly led Ollie to wake up. The doe looked around the den with tired eyes, only to see that it was empty, save for the brother she was still cuddling with.

“Ashie!?” The speckled white doe started shaking the grey buck awake. “Ashie wake up!”

The buck jumped at the rustling, “Huh, wha- Ollie what is it?” He asked, wiping the sleep from his eyes.

“Mister Nick and Cotton are gone!” The white doe said with fear.

“Calm down,” he said with a yawn, “I’m sure they’re fine…”

“Wha- you don’t know that!!!” Ollie began panicking.

She was right; he didn’t know for sure. “I- I don’t know, they’re probably together though, soo…”

“We need to find them!” Ollie yelled as she hopped from the bed and paced the floors in thought.

“Wh-what?! We don't even know where they went. We should just stay here!” Ashes pleaded.

But his words fell on deaf ears. Ollie knew that if her sister Judy felt that if anyone in their family might be in danger she would go out and try to help them!

Their conversation was rudely interrupted by two loud tummy growls ripping through the room.

“A-at least let’s find something to eat first” Ashes pouted.

Little bunny noses began twitching as they started smelling the delicious odor of potatoes emanating from Mister Nick’s sewing table.

Two pairs of bunny feet rushed to the table in near desperation.

The kits gasped at the amazing buffet that laid before them. Two bowls of hashbrowns, leafy greens and sweetgrass, berries and more were left on the table, presumably for them.

Another growl ripped from Ollie’s tummy.

“Well, ok. Breakfast first and then we’ll go search for them.” she conceded.

**Back to the Present**

As Cotton and Nick entered the burrow, the first thing they noticed was the loud snoring. Funny enough, it didn’t come from the bed. Lying on the sewing table were two very full bunnies. The table had been completely cleared of any morsel! Not even a crumb remained out of the extensive collection of snacks he had put out for them. 

Nick was astonished by this, literally everything that he had placed down for the (originally three) bunnies had been gobbled up by the two snoozing rabbit kits! 

“Well Cottontail, it appears your brother and sister are in a food coma.” Nick said fully amused at the two kits huddled together on the table. They must have spent an hour eating all he had set out! He could even see that their bellies were a little distended from the excessive intake of food. 

At his voice, Ollie’s ears perked as she stirred from food induced sleep. “Mister Nick-” the white doe burped as she lifted herself up, “Cotton, We were just about to go look for you guys!” 

The white doe began to wake her brother. “Ashie, we did it! We found them!”

_ Oh brother.  _ Nick thought with an affectionate smile at the two.

It appeared that they were about to go on a little search and rescue mission and had thankfully been derailed by overindulgence that led to sleepiness.

After waking up her snoozing brother, the two kits rushed Mister Nick and embraced him in a hug. Nick gladly accepted them, despite his wounds. The two kits hardly seemed to notice them, so happy to see the fox and their younger sister back safe and sound.

They also hadn’t noticed the new rabbit that had followed the fox into the den. Nick spoke up, “I’m glad to see you guys too.” He smiled at the two kits again, “But there might just be someone else who wants to see you too.”

The kits gave him a quizzical look before Nick turned himself so they would face the doe at the entryway of the den.

Their eyes lit up with both excitement and tears as they scurried out of the fox’s arms and to their older sister. Two furry missiles launched from the ground and at the older doe’s chest in full force, creating a bunny pile on the floor. A teary eyed Cotton also joined the kerfluffle, finally fully embracing her eldest sister.

For Judy, this was what she had hope for. Every bit of her being had hinged on them being ok, and now her siblings were safe in her arms at last. With every fiber of her being she squeezed the three kits tight to her chest. If it was up to her, she would never ever let them go.

Tears were flowing freely between the four bunnies now. It was an overwhelming display of love as Judy and the kits embraced. They grinded their teeth in a purr of pure contentment at being reunited. 

Words weren’t needed, only sobs, and squeezes, and the chirrs of rabbit purrs.

For Nick, witnessing this reunion was cathartic. He remembered when he embraced his parents the same way. The joy of holding the family that loved you with everything they had in your arms, seeing it again and knowing that in a way he helped it happen, freed him from his own baggage of being a fox. For that moment, he was just a nearby mammal watching them, not a predator to fear, not a fox to defend against, just a mammal.

_ Mom, dad, thank you. I hope I’ve made you proud.  _ The fox hoped he had done right by them.

Nick felt that he had intruded long enough on their reunion, so he let them be as he silently went to lie on the bed to ease his wounds. He hadn’t realized just how tired he was until his eyes eased shut. He hadn’t intended to fall asleep, but his body had finally given out. 

As he drifted off, he couldn’t help but think how crazy this had all been. The last few days had completely flipped his life upside down. How he loved it.

And the last several hours, in particular, albeit painful, had been the most rewarding. The image of the four hugging bunnies was the last thing he saw before he drifted. The fox fell asleep content, a smile crossing his muzzle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is doing well, I hope this happier chapter brightened your day. :)


	11. Payments to be Made

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Returning the favor, something that most of us would like to do for those who've helped (or hurt) us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a battle with writers block XD I stared at my keyboard for like three hours before I could even begin writing, but eventually I was able to get started and pull through. I imagine this will be a battle that will happen many a times. I have to say, that's one part that I don't think I like. But when the progress started to be made, it somehow felt even better to finish this section.

**Payments to be Made**

A pair of grey, black tipped bunny ears hung over the fox. She saw that he was lying down on his back, presumably to not put pressure on either his right shoulder or his left thigh. Judy looked at the sleeping predator intently.

This could be their chance. If she so desired, she could take her siblings and run. The fox had fallen asleep and it had yet reached noon. She ran the scenario in her head...they could take some of his supplies, begin a trek into the woods, and find a place to safely hole up in by nightfall far away from here. 

It would have been the logical thing to do, she would be keeping her siblings safe and away from any potential dangers. Plain and simple.

But that was the problem. This fox had been anything but plain and simple. He hadn’t been the aggressive predator stereotype like the blue-eyed fox years ago, and he hadn’t harmed her siblings like she had first thought. In fact, quite the opposite, he had been everything that made a decent mammal. 

He defied the logical things to do, and she felt she should do the same. She couldn't just leave him without a word. Besides, she had a feeling her siblings would have resisted that idea with everything they had if she had pressed such a notion.

The fox had done so much for her siblings. Judy smiled at the sleeping pile of red and white, and softly put a paw on the still tod’s arm.  _ If it hadn’t been for him… _

As Judy rubbed the fox’s arm, she contemplated on the events of the last few days. She didn’t want to think what would have happened to her brother and sisters if they had been left in the snow for too long, or even worse… 

_ What if another predator had stumbled upon them _ . 

She shivered at the thought of teeth and claws forcefully seizing the kits, ripping the life out of their little frames before they’ve even had a chance to live.

Judy stopped a quiver as she squeezed the arm of the fox in gratitude and opted to whisper a silent, “Thank you.” 

No matter Judy’s feelings for predators before, she would be grateful for what this one had done for her and her family forever. 

_ If only there was a better way I could say thank you. _

As the grey doe ran her paws through the surprisingly soft and fluffy red fur of the fox’s winter coat, her siblings crowded around her at the side of the bed. They each wore looks of concern for the tod. 

Judy, with the help of little Cotton, had painstakingly explained how she had run into Nick to her other two siblings… and how she was responsible for injuring the fox. 

If Judy had thought Cotton had chastised her before, the meeting with Ashes and Ollie had really been the third degree. The stories the two told her about the fox had cut into her heart deeply. They tearily recounted every little thing that Mister Nick had done for them. 

The two kits were relentless as they informed their older sister how the tod had bandaged Cotton’s head. How the tod had the best tail for a blanket, how he made the tastiest of foods for them and played outside with them, and even letting them ride on his back and make frozen treats. 

Ashes even mentioned how Nick had hummed a little song when the tod thought they were all sleeping; it had apparently eased the poor buck to finally, pleasantly drift off. This really struck a chord in the grey doe, Judy remembered how their mom would always make a point to lull the youngest kits to sleep if any of them had a particularly rough day. 

This fox had been a boon for them after the worst day of their lives. Not only had he saved them, but he reassured and comforted them the whole way. It was like the tod knew exactly how to soothe the poor kits after such a traumatic event. 

By the end of their retelling of events, Judy’s guilt increased. He had offered nothing but kindness to them, and she had so far repaid that with insult and injury. That fact made her earlier quiet words of thanksgiving feel hollow. 

This mammal had shown his kindness in  _ actions _ . 

Judy knew what she had to do:  _ Why can’t I show my thanks the same way?  _

As the kits and Judy watched the fox, the familiar feeling of determination washed over the grey doe. Judy Hopps never left things undone. She would repay this fox for what he had done for her no matter what! 

_ But How?  _ Indeed, how was she to repay what she could only describe as an insurmountable debt for saving her family’s lives? 

That was when the teary voice of a sibling spoke up: 

“Mister Nick looks so hurt, Judy.” Ollie said as she leaned her head against her older sister’s side, ears folded back and voice clearly dejected over the injured fox.

_ I did this.  _ Judy’s paws halted their sweeping motions through the fox’s fur. Despite how happy she had been to be reunited with her siblings, Judy still felt like a  _ failure _ many times over for how things turned out the last few days. 

The fact remained that she hadn't been there for her family when they were ruthlessly attacked, nor had she been there for her siblings when they escaped and were on their own. And now, to top it all off, she had terribly wounded the one who had taken care of her younger sibs.

Judy pushed past the feelings of doubt and  _ failure _ , those could wait for later when she was alone. She looked at the damaged fox before her. 

_ He’s hurt.  _ The determined look returned to her features.  _ And I’m going to help him no matter what. _

“You’re right Ollie.” She smiled encouragingly to her sister, “So it’ll just have to be our job to make him feel better.”.

_ This won’t repay what you’ve done for me… _

But it was a place to start. Judy would pay back a debt to the fox that she felt she owed, and she would start by replacing those ragged bandages.

\-----

When Nick would dream, they would usually border along memories that he held dear. Dreams of his father teaching him something new, him cooking with his mom, or running and playing in the rain. They were fond things that had kept him sane throughout the years after his parents had died.

When they had first passed, the loneliness and grief had gotten to him greatly. The feelings of loss had been a crushing weight that ate at his soul and emotions. Over time though, the pain lessened. 

He would reflect on how lucky he had been to have a mother and father who had cared for him at all. True it had been cruel that they were snatched away from him at such a young age, a feeling that kept him bitter at first. But he would always have the memories, and he knew they would always watch over him, Karma willing.

The dreams were treasured by the fox. In those moments of time the fox would feel like he had everything back again.

This was why it was strange that the fox’s current dream had been different from all of those. There weren’t visions or memories in this dream, just his keen senses of touch and smell. 

Altogether, this dream was a new pleasantness that rivaled the fondness he had for his usual dream/memories.

He could feel swaths of warmth that would sweep over his frame in waves. Soft, gentle touches that worked over sections of his body. His muscles relaxed as the heat would sweep over parts of him in intervals. Little moments of discomfort would come up and just as quickly be washed away by the feelings of warmness. 

Nick took in deep breaths as his body unclenched. And to complement the amazing feeling, it was coupled with the wonderfully familiar smell of fresh rain hanging over him. It was like he had died and was given his own comfortable heaven, designed for his enjoyment. 

Although he enjoyed the fond memories of his old dreams, this one was pleasurable in a whole new way. There would be no waking up to the feelings of longing or loss, no loneliness would accompany him when it was all over, and at the moment the tod just felt whole. Nick was so happy in this dream that he couldn’t help but purr in his contentment.

But all dreams had to end. And his state of slumber soon dissolved at the sound of poorly stifled giggles. Sleepily he heard familiar voices,

“I think Mister Nick likes that, Juju!”

“Shush Cotton! You’ll wake him up!!” He unmistakably recognized that voice as Ollie’s. 

The tod lightly sighed, _ Still need to work on mastering that whisper, kit. _

The sound of water being wrung from a towel into a bucket made the fox’s ears perk. Still too drowsy to make the attempt, Nick kept his eyes tightly shut. He could feel a rustling around his arms followed by a discomfort as his wounded arm was lifted by a soft paw. He was about to pull away before a warm, dampened cloth gently rubbed at his upper arm and shoulder. 

At the heat his body relaxed again. The liquid soothed the dull aching of the wound. Nick couldn’t help but involuntarily purr again at the sensation. The purring was speedily followed by little giggles nearby, clearly amused at the sound the fox was making.

The tod stirred a bit more from the poorly concealed laughter and tiredly creaked his eyes open. They were met with the pretty violet eyes of a grey rabbit doe. For a moment he simply stared at the captivating amethysts of the doe, still unwittingly purring his contentment, caught in his post-sleep daze. 

_ Am I still dreaming?  _ The fox thought, sleepily.

But he wasn’t, as his ears perked again, this time at the grey doe speaking to him softly, “Hey Nick,” the rabbit gave him a friendly smile, “did you sleep well?”

Nick was stunned for a moment before a blush took over his face and ears. The doe was still holding his arm, eyes refocusing on the wound as she waited for his response. 

“H-hey Carrots.” Was all the dumbfounded tod was able to eek out, as he smiled like an idiot at the rabbit doe.

It took Nick a few more seconds to register that she had asked a question before he stuttered out, “Y-yeah, I guess I did, wh-what are you doing?” 

The doe snorted at the question. “Cleaning your wounds. It’s the least I can do for you.”

“You didn’t have to do tha-” The fox's protest was cut off by a deep sigh of contentment as a freshly wetted cloth pressed to his shoulder. Gentle paws worked to massage the tissue muscles around the wound, coaxing the vulpine to relax further. 

Littlepaws worked magic on the fox’s arm and upper torso “I don’t want to hear it!” The doe’s ears drooped, “It really is the  _ least _ I can do. I caused them after all.”

“Th-thanks Carrots.” Nick said genuinely, although a bit flustered at the doe.

He relaxed and laid his head back as a comfortable silence took over. 

In no time, Judy finished easing, cleaning, and repatching Nick’s shoulder, before letting out a genial, “Aaand done. Good as new, Nick.”

The wound of course still hurt, but she had alleviated much of the stress in the tense muscles of his arm and chest, and the new patch would ensure that Nick would be less likely to have to fight off an infection.

Nick sat up and gave a tentative touch to the fresh strip of cloth covering the puncture. Wow,  _ she’s really good at this! _ What could he say, he was still in awe of her field dressing skills. Perhaps he found it impressive due to his background as a tailor?

But that awe gave way to utter mortification when he became aware of a certain fact that hadn’t registered with him until now…

“CARROTS!! Wh-where are my clothes!” The tod yelped in a panic. Currently Nick only had his blanket covering his body.

Little giggles from the nearby kits were not reassuring in the least to the fox, he clenched the blanket tighter to his form.

The grey doe’s face took on a clinical air as she eyed the bare Vulpine, she looked as if she were preparing to give him a report. Indeed, that’s was an accurate descriptor for the spiel she gave him next, 

“Your wounds needed treatment immediately to prevent infection. You had passed out and I couldn’t wake you. I had no choice but to remove your tunic to treat both of your injuries.” She answered, before turning away and taking a few steps and seating herself at his sewing table.

The wheels began to turn in Nick’s head,  _ Both of my injuries? _

The tod lifted the blanket, and sure enough his thigh was already cleaned and repatched. 

_ She… she... _

If the tod wasn’t already currently living in one, he would dig himself a whole and never come out again.

“Don’t worry Mister Nick,” his attention was temporarily turned towards the three kits crowding the side of the bed, currently the grey buck was speaking up, “Judy made us all turn around until you had the blanket on, a- and we didn’t even peek!” The buck said with a proud, honest smile, trying to cheer the fox up.

The fox groaned in discomfort as he cupped his face in his paws. Somehow the kit’s attempt at cheering him up didn’t make him feel any less stripped bare. His face was burning, and it didn’t change the fact that the cute rabbit doe had stripped him naked and that he still laid unclothed underneath the blanket as the kit spoke to him. 

His attention was turned to the other side of the room again at a, “Here you go, Slick!” The grey doe had shouted as she tossed a bundle of clothing his way.

Of course the stunned fox’s reaction time was a bit delayed at the turn of events, the clothing landed on his face and snout. The fox didn’t even bother removing the new tunic from his face, at this point he figured he probably couldn’t be more humiliated, so why bother?

The tod sighed in resignation at his situation before a slight smile took over underneath the tunic. Physically, he really did feel a lot better, his wounds were patched, and he had decent company. Truly it couldn’t get much better, (apart from his awkward discomposure.)

Also, apparently he had a new nickname that caught his attention. 

As he pulled the tunic from his head and readied it to put on his frame he quietly questioned the new name to himself, “Slick?”

“Yep.” He heard from across the room.

At first Nick was puzzled at how the doe had heard him from her place at his table before she gestured at the long appendages on her head, “I’m all ears, Slick.”

“Ah.” Nick said in recognition of the superbunny hearing. “Well?”

“A very deep subject… Slick.” She dodged.

_ She’s teasing me? _

“Alright Carrots, keep your secrets,” A smarmy grin spread across his muzzle. “I know you want to watch me dress but a little privacy would be nice.”

Now it was the doe’s turn to be mortified. Her ears burned as she stuttered her failed explanation “I- I wasn’t gonna-” 

“Uh huh,” The fox grinned amusedly.  _ Gotcha. _

“THAT’S NOT FUNNY, FOX!”

“Oh, so I’ve been demoted to just ‘fox’ again?” He snarked, grin completely intact.

The grey doe stood up as she started to look flustered at the smiling tod, pointing an accusative finger at the Vulpine, “You- you stupid jerk! you-”

The smile never left the tod as she continued to berate him. 

He affectionately mused over the doe,  _ I really can’t help but tease her. _

The foxy teasing and the bunny’s sputtering was interrupted by unsuppressed snickering. Both mammals turned their attention to the temporarily forgotten kits in the room. Apparently, they had put on quite the show for the three little bunnies. Nick seemed to be making a habit of that these days.

As Ashes and Ollie had their paws pressed over their mouths failing to stop their giggles, Cotton spoke up in her laughter,

“You guys talk like momma and daddy do!” 

The tables had turned again as now the both of them reeled from Cotton’s words. 

The kit’s observations had proved to be dangerous not just once now, but twice. Nick and Judy would have to consider her a weapon of deadly awkwardness if she kept this up.

For Judy, she hadn’t expected the not-so-smooth fox to turn the tables on her. She had really thought she had caught him up pretty good. She couldn’t resist giving him a nickname that so perfectly described what he had so thoroughly proved he wasn’t-  _ Slick. _

The fox had made it very clear that he wasn’t all that smooth from the moment she had attacked him, and had seemed to reconfirm that suspicion at how easily embarrassed he had been since he awoke. 

Imagine her shock, as he turned the tables on her with a single suggestive sentence! 

She was on fire, and that fire only worsened at each of his responses and that playful grin on his muzzle. 

Now she was the one under scrutiny!  _ That’s not fair! _

But the fire worsened with the kit’s laughing and Cotton’s declaration, the fire transformed into an inferno of awkward humiliation.

“NO! No we don’t, Cotton!!!” Judy responded disconcertedly at her little sibling.

“BUT MOMMA ALWAYS MAKES DADDY’S EARS TURN RED TOO AND HE NEVER KNOWS WHAT TO SAY AND DADDY LIKES TO-”

As the kit continued her comparisons, Judy forced her red ears to drop behind her back out of sight. She chanced a glance at the fox, he had an uncomfortable look on his muzzle as he listened to the kits from the bed. 

She noticed his ears were also folded back. She wondered for a second, if he folded his ears back to hide his embarrassment too. 

The fox spoke up, “Um, Cottontail, I think I get it, but could you guys give me a moment to change into some clothes.”

At his words Judy discarded her thoughts. She recognized when someone was trying to change a subject, and she wasn’t about to let that go to waste. “R-right! Cotton, Ash, Ollie, let’s go outside while Mister Nick changes, Ok?”

And just like that the bunny kits happily redirected their thoughts to the outdoors! Almost instantaneously, Nick was alone in his den. 

Nick couldn’t help but marvel once again at the grey doe’s resourcefulness,  _ Sly Bunny. _

There would be a lot to think about as the day progressed, but for now the fox simply put on his tunic and limped to his storage enclave. His stomach growled as he grabbed ingredients. He would need to prepare five meals, and no injury would stop him from being a good host.  _ They are my guests, afterall _ .

He put an affectionate paw on the bandage covering his shoulder before silently whispering, “Thanks again, Carrots.” He wasn’t going to let such a kind act go unpaid.

**A Wolf approaches a familiar Warren.**

Large brown paws trudged through the snow of the forest floor. The mammal wasn’t in a particular hurry at the moment as the events of the rabbit hunt replayed in his mind.

_Things were going so well…_ _Sapper you moron, why couldn’t you just…_

A tear rolled down the wolf’s muzzle as his paws clenched at the snow beneath them. It took several moments for the wolf to regain his composure, as he tried to swallow his grief for his lost friend. Killed by a rabbit or not, the wolf wouldn’t let Sapper just rot.

Even if Julius had denied his request, he would have broken rank to pay his friend this one last favor. It was the least he could do for the kindness the deceased had shown him when he had first joined the pack. 

Sapper had been the only one to call him by his actual name instead of his disbanded wolf pack’s name. 

Never had he imagined that the once proud Wolford pack name would be used as a negative brand on him. Now, it was nothing but a mock insult, a reminder of his broken past. Of course Julius would have encouraged the rest of his new pack to only refer to him by his former wolf packs name.

He had barely been old enough to not be considered a pup, a mere juvenile at the time he came crawling to Julius’ pack.

The brown wolf would never forget how his deceased friend had refused to taunt him for his losses, or to assert his dominance on him when he was just a scared pup begging to be taken in. Sapper had been the only one to even try to understand what he had just gone through.

The brown wolf let a snippet of the first memory of his friend flow over him as he slowly picked up his pace to the destroyed rabbit warren.

\-----

“Come on, Julius! He’s just a pup we can’t treat him li-”

“You will mind your tongue! If the whelp wants to survive it needs to toughen up!” The Alpha raised his hackles at his insubordinate pack member, “Or perhaps the whelp would be better off with the rest of the Wolford pack, maybe lying face down in a ditch somewhere?”

A young brown wolf laid submissively in the grass, his smaller frame shivered at the Alpha male’s words as he vyed with the insubordinate pack member over how to treat the poor pup. 

Sadly, it was hardly a competition. Julius had the far superior strength, the power, the influence. The other wolf, Sapper, was just a mere middle of the pack member. One who submitted to the will of the Alpha.

“Now,” Julius continued threateningly, “Call the whelp by his new name.”

Sapper had looked at the pile of a brown pup, quivering like a leaf in the wind, “I- I can’t, I won’t!”

At his words the large Alpha pounced on the disobedient wolf, quickly pinning him and placing his teeth near the other wolf’s throat. Julius growled out, “Do you refuse MY order?”

The pinned wolf exposed his throat in submission to the Alpha, but he didn’t recant. Shakily he spoke, “I can’t follow it boss, the pup has a name! Demas! He deserves to be called by it, it’s all he has left!”

A menacing grin took over the Alpha’s face, “If you care so much for the whelp, then perhaps you will trade places with him in the hierarchy.”

An audible gulp could be heard from the pinned wolf. To trade places with a pup who’s asking to be taken in… that would be… well there was no lower rank. It would be social suicide. It was very obvious that he shouldn’t- 

“I- I will, boss.”

\-----

_ Stupid, sentimental, soft wolf! Why did you waste your time with me? And now you got yourself killed!? You idiot! _

__ Another tear slid down the brown wolf’s muzzle as he approached the warren.

As a pup he hadn’t realized what the poor wolf had done for him. Nor did he understand why after that event the other wolves, even the females of the pack, would harass and attack Sapper out of the blue.

The words of the deceased rang in his head:  _ Demas,  _ (Sapper had continued calling him by his real name even after his bargain with the boss,) _ It’s because I’m the Omega of the pack now. it’s just the way it is pup. I’ll eat last, if they’re pissed at me I’ll have to settle for bones, I’ll just have to deal with them, I’ll do the shit work, but hey you won’t have to pup… and one day when you’re big and strong maybe you’ll be the Alpha, right? And you can make me the Beta and we’ll get all the hot she-wolves, eh pup? _

Wolford, or rather Demas, as the deceased had called him, let out a bitter chuckle. 

“Right, buddy. Maybe one day, I’ll do it for both of us.” 

It was unfair. The damn rabbits had to fight back. He knew that they of course would, but who expects to lose against a rabbit?

The brown wolf had finally reached the warren, but as he neared where his fallen comrade lay, he noticed the condition of his body.

_ By my ancestors! Who did this! _

His friend’s body was in ruins. Desecrated, run through with holes so many times it could have been compared to the insides of a termited tree, if not for the dried blood that covered and pooled around his body. Between the haul of rabbits that they had brought in and his return, something had defiled and humiliated his friend’s body.

_ How are the ancestors going to accept him now!  _

Sadness racked the wolf, but it was nothing compared to his anger. He had to return his friend's body back to the earth, give him his rites, and pray that the ancestors would allow his friend into paradise. But when that had all been observed,, he would have to go on a hunt. This was unforgivable.

Whoever had done this to his friend would pay and they would pay  _ dearly _ .


	12. Home is Where the Fox is [Part 1]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where is home now? A question that both a fox and a bunny will have to figure out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: chapter contains domestic bliss, mega fluff, and the feels. :) a part 1 of 2

**Home is Where the Fox is [Part 1]**

_ He still hasn’t come out? _ Judy’s ears drooped as a bout of anxiety settled over her.

_ I hope he’s ok... _

It had been over an hour since the fox had asked for his privacy, but he had yet to emerge from his den. Judy felt so silly for being worried for a near stranger, let alone a predator. But here she was, nose twitching, and foot thumping in the snow as concern for the fox filled her.

However, not every rabbit had adopted Judy’s anxious behavior. In particular, a white, speckled doe had been plotting out an attack on her elder sister. Little Ollie was waiting behind the nearest tree to Judy. Next to the kit, a small stockpile of snowy spheres were ready to be wielded for a blistering ambush on the rabbit that the kit looked up to the most. 

This would be her chance to FINALLY beat Judy in a snowball fight.

Judy had been so distracted, and never had Ollie seen such an opportunity to get the drop on her usually observant sister. So, with a devious plan in place, the white doe waited for her litter mates to set the trap.

From behind her vantage point, Ollie watched her sandy brown sister and grey brother approach the target. Things were going perfectly according to the plan so far...

Now, Ashes knew his part in the plan of attack as well. Cotton had diligently practiced it with him for the last five minutes straight! So, in his mind he was practically an expert on his role in the scheme. 

There was absolutely no way he was going to mess this up!

The two kits stood before their target, “J-Judy?” The grey buck started nervously, rubbing one foot in the snow.

Judy was pulled out of her worried stupor to see the two siblings in front of her. “Yes, Ash?”

With big bunny eyes the buck asked sweetly and pleadingly, “Can I ride on your shoulders, pleeeeease?” 

Ashes really laid it on thick, perhaps too thick. He had never been the best at deception, and at the bucks pleading tone Judy’s detective skills were already alerted. 

_ There up to something… _

Nonetheless, the grey doe smiled at her brother and scooped the little buck into her arms.

As Ashes was lifted to Judy’s shoulders, the buck couldn’t help but voice his amazement at his mission’s success so far, “Woah, it worked!”

“What was that?” Judy said in a sing-song tone.

“Errr- um…. Can we go that way!” the buck pointed enthusiastically towards the nearest trees before holding Judy’s ears for support.

Judy knew a good ambush zone when she saw one (a certain fox would be willing to affirm that), and she had an idea that her beloved younger brother wasn’t acting as fun loving and innocent as he led on. 

Still, Judy obliged the young buck, careful to not show that she’d already caught on to their secret plot... She would play along for now.

As Judy approached the trees, her ears picked up on faint snickering ahead. The grey doe couldn't help but roll her eyes and wonder how her younger siblings couldn’t be more obvious.

As Judy passed by the nearest tree she sensed the oncoming threat from her side, and with a quick evasive leap easily dodged a thrown snowball.

“No!” Ollie yelled from her miss, “Ashie!!! Cover her eyes!!”

Little grey paws pulled Judy’s long ears over her face in an attempt to blind her.

“COTTON, LEGS!” The white doe yelled. Judy hadn’t accounted for her youngest sibling on this attack, and it showed as Cotton snuck up and used her whole body to cling to Judy’s legs to halt her.

“I GOT HER!!” Cotton Screamed with cheer.

The kits had their sister now! Judy was blind and trapped as Ollie, with a snowball in each paw, closed the distance between her and their elder sister. All Ollie had to do now was smack her sister good with one of them and she would be the new bunny snowball champion!

With all her might, Ollie reared back with the first snowball and tossed the flurry sphere. She closed her eyes in anticipation of hearing the sweet sound of Judy’s defeat….

“Hey!!! You hit me!”

The words were right, but they weren’t from who they were supposed to be. Ollie opened her eyes to a splotch of white powder on the grey fur of her… brother… 

“Nooo!” Ollie yelped. Judy had maneuvered the poor buck to take the incoming snowball. The white doe’s plan was failing!

Judy had a smirk as she sat her brother in the snow next to her, “Looks like I get to keep my championship title a little longer.”

But Ollie still had another snowball, AND Judy just dropped her makeshift shield of a sibling! There was no way she could let Judy win! So, quick on her feet, the Speckled doe took aim once again and launched her other snowball. This time she was going to watch the satisfied smirk of the older doe disappear in the impact of the snowy sphere! Ollie had her now!

Except, she didn’t. Judy had been watching the white doe with amusement the whole time. And with the sight of the oncoming snowball, Judy easily hopped in the air with Cotton still clinging to her legs. The sandy brown kit didn’t stand a chance as she found herself in the line of fire of the frosty projectile.

“OW! Ollie!”

Ollie was astonished at her older sis. Both snowballs had not only been ineffective against Judy, but she turned the tables on them and now both of her littermates have been reduced to shields! There were reasons why Ollie had always wanted to be just like her elder sister, and one day the white doe would beat Judy at her own game.

But that wasn’t today. Judy closed the distance between herself and Ollie, “You almost had me that time, sis.” She booped the white doe’s nose, causing it to twitch lightly, “That was real smart to have Ashie and Cotton help you. You’re going to make a great leader when you’re older.”

The words perked the white rabbit up, “You really think so?! One day I’m gonna catch up to you Jude, I’m gonna be just like you!”

The speckled kit’s words were a boon to Judy,  _ After all that had happened, you still look up to me? _

As amazed as Ollie was of Judy, it was the grey doe who truly admired her siblings’ tenacity.

As Judy marveled, her other two siblings approached from behind them.

“Juju, Mister Nick is a lot easier to hit than you!” Cotton stated excitedly, the other two bunnies nodded in agreement. Somehow, Judy didn’t have trouble imagining that. At the mention of the wounded fox, anxiousness returned to the older doe.

“Oh yeah?” Judy started, her ears flopped to her back. “The big bad fox must not be so tough then?” There was a hint of sarcasm in the doe’s words, as well as a remnant of guilt from her initial encounter with the fox. However, both the sarcasm and the guilt were lost on the sandy brown doe.

“Mister Nick isn’t a bad fox!” Cotton answered indignantly. “He even said we could live with him! He’s the nicest fox in the world and-”

Judy’s ears perked up at those words…  _ It’s one thing for him to take care of them, but to say  _ _ live _ _ with? _ She would need clarification for this.

“Cotton,” Judy interrupted the kit's chronic rambling. “What do you mean by  _ live _ with him?”

“I- I mean that yesterday I asked if we could  _ live _ with him, and he said yes and that we  _ all _ could  _ live _ with him! And then he gave us a BIIIIG hug, like how you do when you get home from your missions and see us!”

Judy’s head was whirring, _live?_ _Not stay,_ _live. And the fox said yes?_

_ Live.  _ It was only a word, a single word, but it carried so many connotations. Judy could understand if the fox said  _ stay _ . Stay meant that he would provide shelter in his dwelling for them... for a while. Stay was a word for temporary. Stay was an ‘until this blows over’ or ‘until I can’t deal with it anymore.’ Stay was what she did when she camped overnight on her missions in a tree or a hollowed out log, not  _ live. _

but the word live meant so much more. 

Live could mean that the place being opened to you is  _ yours _ now too. 

If someone allowed you to  _ stay _ with them- it meant: ‘hey you can hang here until…’ but if they offered a place for you to  _ live _ \- it meant: ‘your safe here, make yourself comfortable, this is  _ your home now _ .’

...If the fox was intentional in his answer to what Cotton had asked of him, then he may have meant that the kits could consider his house a  _ home _ . And that, well, that was a lot to take in. 

Judy had just barely come to terms with the thought of a good predator: one that would help another mammal in need. But for a pred to let another mammal  _ live _ with them, and presumably take care of them?

She wasn’t ready to believe that just yet. Afterall, if the kits were found by another prey animal, heck, even if they stumbled upon another rabbit clan, it was extremely unlikely they would offer something so… so…  _ kind _ . 

_ How could a fox, even Nick, do something like that just to help a couple of bunnies? _

Judy already knew that this fox couldn’t be attempting any form of deception. He had done nothing at all that had even hinted at trickery. Not to mention the close relationship she witnessed between him and the kits. 

The bond between her siblings and Nick was undeniable, it was proof enough when she saw how Ashes and Ollie rushed the fox when they returned to the den, and even more so with how her smallest sister defended him from her that morning.

Judy thought back to when she attacked Nick earlier that day, Cotton had jumped in between them to protect the poor tod. The sandy brown kit did her best to advocate for the red fox before...

Judy thought for a moment about that. Cotton had recounted how Nick had saved them before… 

_ before _ ...  _ before Cotton asked him _ …  _ if they could  _ go _ home _ _? _

The grey doe continued her train of thought.  _ How did Nick answer Cotton again? _

She closed her eyes to picture the scene again. Warm verdant greens were gazing at her little sister _._ _He smiled._

Judy’s heart beat a little faster as her mind drew up the most affectionate smile from the fox, a smile that she now recognized as showing care for her family while attempting to hide his own pain from the wounds she had inflicted. 

Memory of the fox’s response came next, ‘Cottontail, I’d love to go home, but I think your sis wants to speak to you first.’

Judy blushed, the fox had done two amazing things in that simple statement. 

Firstly, he, even though she had just injured him, had thought of her well being. She hadn’t realized how caring that had been when she still had yet to comprehend what that fox had done for her family. 

And secondly, he said he’d love to go home. He didn’t deflect or correct the little doe, and he didn’t say  _ his _ home.

_ Sweet carrots.  _

That was something she would have to confront Nick over soon. She has to figure out what his intentions are.

“Juju?” Cotton asked worriedly.

Judy opened her eyes, she felt like she had spent a lifetime on that mental tangent, but it had only been a moment.

Just to be sure, Judy had to ask again, “Cotton, you’re sure you said  _ live _ ?” 

“Yep!” The sandy brown doe said cheerily. Judy looked at Ashes and Ollie for confirmation, both nodded their heads in agreement.

Satisfied with their answers, Judy turned her attention to the darkening forest sky. It was beginning to get late as the day was coming to an end. 

“I think we’ve given the big,  _ good _ fox enough time to get dressed, let’s go check on him, ok?”

-0-0-

_ What’s taking them so long? _

It had been a while since the bunnies had been inside the den. Nick had worked hard on preparing a meal for them, one that now lightly simmered above the den’s fire. He had completely tuckered himself out preparing a dish he had never made before. He had well and truly slaved over fixing the meal as if it were a life and death situation. 

In short, the fox poured his entire heart into it. 

He pinned his hopes on the meal delighting his company... and that a certain rabbit wouldn’t have his pelt for going through her supply bag and using some of her things.

The fox had been patiently waiting for his company to return to the den. They had been outside for quite some time now and he was beginning to worry. Nick would’ve gone outside earlier to watch the bunnies enjoy their time playing in the snow, but truth be told, he was fearful to check on the rabbits. 

A frantic and painful thought kept him tucked away inside,  _ What if they ran off?  _

It was a stupid fear. Judy had helped him, and she had left her supplies inside. She wouldn’t just up and leave without them, especially considering that her only obstacle to retrieve her stuff was a wounded fox she had already bested.

Yet, that logic hardly comforted the tod. The thought of walking outside to see nothing but an empty forest plagued him; how could he go back to isolation after this? 

And it was that fear that shackled him to the den. He closed his eyes as he silently hoped to see the kits and their older sister walk back inside the den at any moment.

Vibrant violet eyes filled the tod’s mind as he waited. Just a few hours ago Nick woke up to those eyes, and he’d been so content to see them. 

_ Why does she make me feel this way? _

That was a question he didn’t know the answer to. But he did know that he didn’t want those vibrant eyes to disappear from his life, especially if they took the innocent goldens and the carefree browns with them.

The fox had been alone for years, and now he couldn’t help but worry that these wonderful few days of companionship with the kits might come to an end soon. 

Nick couldn’t help but ask himself:  _ Even if I can get her to stay, will she really be ok with living with a fox?  _

Yet another question the tod didn't know the answer to. But he did know one thing, being alone again… he couldn’t bear it again. Not in the least. 

Throughout the years, Nick believed he had gotten used to the biting loneliness; he thought that he had sufficiently walled off that sore, rueful pain. However, the last few days have proven that those walls of immunity have been nothing more than thin glass. And with his blossoming affections for the kits and now even for the grey doe, those thin glass walls that protected him have been shattered to pieces. 

The rabbits had been a balm on a spiritual wound that time had calloused over, but had not healed. But Now Nick’s heart has opened again, the callous ripped away and the painful realization of potential isolation very fresh… 

He couldn’t lose them. So, it was only a logical conclusion that Nick would do everything he could to convince Judy to stay with him. And maybe, just maybe, If Nick played his cards right, she could be convinced not just to stay, but make a home here.

_ A  _ _ longshot _ _ ,  _ thought the tod.

But undeterred, the fox, just like Judy had done for him after realizing her mistake, would try. 

_ I have to do at least that. _

Nick believed that his best chance of winning Judy over started with digging through the doe’s belongings... A risky move that might backfire on him, but he needed the contents inside to make a good impression on the grey doe. He just hoped the good he would do with her supplies would outweigh his rummaging through her things.

As the fox sat at his sewing table reviewing his plans on persuading the grey doe, the pitter-patter of padless paws came from his entryway.

At the sight of the bunnies entering the den, a deep sigh of relief left Nick as a weight on his chest was lifted. They came back.

_ Have I been holding my breath? _ The fox internally asked as the worry washed away from his features.

An equally deep sigh of relief came from the grey doe following in behind her siblings.  _ He’s okay, good, good. _

If either had known that the other had been worrying so deeply for the past two hours, they may have blushed out of embarrassment.

However, any chance to think about their worries had been thrown out at the loud sniffing from the kits.

At the sounds, Nick and Judy looked at the younger rabbits to see that they were practically drooling, mouths agape and noses twitching wildly. With a still twitchy nose Cotton asked, “Mister Nick, what smells so good?”

True, Judy noticed the smell too, and was having a hard time stopping her nose from twitching at it too. _ It smells just like… _

“It’s carrot stew, Cotton.” The fox answered with a smile.

And there it was. To Judy, the stew smelled like their burrow, It was what they happily ate so very often. The aroma was normalcy, it was happiness, it was  _ home _ .

And it was unexpected. This was a smell that Judy had decided that she wouldn’t have the luxury to ever scent again. It was a comfort that she had forcibly pushed out of her mind, fully prepared to be lost forever along with her home. 

But it was not something that she prepared to ever smell again. Judy pushed back the tears that had tried to accumulate in her eyes at the scent of what she had lost.

“Carrot stew!” Cotton yelled excitedly, “you had carrots this whole time Mister Nick!?”

The fox chuckled, “well not exactly, Cottontail.” Nick’s face was slightly nervous, “You’re sister brought them.”

At his words Judy’s ears perked back up,  _ I brought them… that means he…” _

_ “ _ Sorry, Carrots.” The fox had a penitent look as he addressed Judy, “I should’ve asked before going through your stuff. I- I was just trying to make you guys something I thought  _ you _ ’d like, and I could smell the carrots in the bag.”

Judy was silent as she mulled over how that made her feel. On one paw she should have been angry at the fox for rifling through her personal effects. On the other, the fox had done it for a very kind reason. Even more so, he unknowingly just gave her another feeling that she had thought was lost forever. He gave her, even for just a second, her  _ home  _ again. 

_ He’s been doing that a lot… _

Her ears turned crimson at that thought, but she made no attempts to hide them. 

How did this fox have such an uncanny way of making everything better? Judy’s life should have completely fallen apart when she returned to the destroyed burrows. Even when she was given the slightest hope that the kits would have survived the frigid winter night, deep down she knew that they wouldn’t have made it in the heat-sapping snow for too much longer if the fox hadn’t intervened.

But this predator,  _ this fox, _ he had saved the remnant of her family. And he had made them feel welcome and safe. And now he had made not just them, but her too a meal that brought back those wonderful feelings of  _ home. _

She knew that he had no idea what this meant to her, but that didn’t matter, the only thing that did was the fact that he had done it  _ for her, for them. _

The grey doe’s quiet contemplation, caused the fox’s anxiety to increase. Judy’s heartbeat was a little faster as the fox began apologizing again, “Carrots, I- I’m really sorry, I was just tryin-”

“Thank you.”

“W-what?” The fox said in confusion.

“I said thank you, Nick.” Judy closed the distance between her and the fox. 

So many strange barriers had been broken for her in a day… 

_ What’s one more?  _ She thought as she grabbed the fox by the paw.

Judy could feel the roughness of the fox’s paw pads, it was a foreign thing for the bunny, but they were smoother than she would’ve thought. The claws looked dangerous to her. They appeared sharp and deadly, but they were unmoving as she held the paw. And she knew that Nick was being perfectly still so she wouldn’t feel even a hint of a threat. 

Judy couldn’t help but wonder how claws like these could be the same tools used to scar her cheek years ago.

She looked up at the fox and reiterated, “Thank you so much, Nick.” 

Judy had held back her feelings a moment ago, but her emotional bunny side couldn’t be kept in check any longer. She wrapped her arms around the fox’s sides, careful to avoid the wound on his thigh and hugged him tightly. 

Nick’s chest was warm and smelled of violets. She buried her nose in his tunic, inhaling the comforting familiar scent, all while continuing to whisper small thank yous to the tod.

_ At this rate, I'm never going to be able to pay you back, Slick. _

It was safe to say that Nick had not expected this outcome. His brain shut down as the rabbit doe had first held his paw so… so intimately. It was a sweet feeling that made his heart speed up. 

And then he felt her pull him in a warm embrace, the fragrance of fresh rain filled his nostrils as her head pressed against his chest, a scent that he couldn’t help but lean his muzzle into.

Nick pressed his nose to the head of the doe, and inhaled her intoxicating scent. He wrapped his good arm around the emotional bunny as he felt her warm breath and hot tears against his fur as she pressed against him for comfort. The grey doe stirred up a plethora of feelings for the tod, some familiar and some foreign.

Very dominantly, protectiveness for the rabbit swelled within him. It was the same feeling he had for the kits when he’d swore to protect them. Overtaken with the emotion, Nick couldn’t help but swing his tail around Judy as she clung to him. It was his own silent way of letting her know that he would be there for her.

But protectiveness wasn’t alone, there was empathy for the rabbit and her situation, there was anger that she and the kits had to go through such a horrible thing, and happiness that he had gained her trust enough for her to let him be there for her. 

But those feelings were accompanied by another one, a feeling that he remembered his father talked to him about. 

Nick believed that she and him were a two of a kind:  _ kindred spirits. _

Nick’s father often told him about mammals that had deeper connections that were only built from similar experiences and understandings. 

He could hear his dad’s words,  _ ‘Kindred spirits are rare, Nicky. If you ever find one- don’t let ‘em go.’  _

Indeed, if John Wilde were here today, he would attest to just how strongly these two were instant connectors. They were so very different, but at their cores the very same type of mammal.

For Nick, this idea of kindred spirit wasn’t difficult to understand. He had lost his family too. He recognized so intimately the comfort Judy seeked as she pressed into him. 

It wasn’t all too different from how he cried against his father after the loss of his mom. He hoped she never had to face loss without a shoulder to cry on.

As the two shared their moment, the kits crept closer to Judy and Nick. The fox opened his eyes lightly to see the concerned bunnies. Nick unraveled his tail from the grey doe, much to her displeasure.

“Juju, are you ok?” Cotton voiced from behind the rabbit doe.

Judy was slow to react to her sibling, the moment was surreal. Her mind was battling through both the pain of loss as well as the strange source of comfort and strength she drew from the predator. And with the withdrawal of the soft, warm tail that wrapped around her, she couldn’t help but groan her disapproval.

However that was a short lived emotion when Judy turned to see the worry on her sibling’s face. She needed to be a little stronger for them.

Judy spoke gently to her sister, “Yes, Cotton. I just... had a bit of a moment.”

Judy untangled herself from the fox’s grasp and picked up little Cotton, “I’m already feeling a lot better, sweetie.” 

At the end of her statement, it couldn’t be helped that Judy’s stomach growled like a predator. Apparently she wasn’t just feeling better, but feeling quite hungry.

The fox chuckled loudly as he stepped towards the fire to retrieve the simmering stew, “Karma, your stomach is louder than Grey’s is, Carrots!”

Judy hid her reddening ears behind her back once again. She was starting to believe that this fox had a knack for teasing her into embarrassment!

With a huff, Judy voiced, “It can’t be helped, I haven't eaten today, Slick.”

“Slick again, eh? You want to tell me why the nickname on the fox that’s named Nick?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re a smoothtalker, Slick.” Judy joked.

The fox was glad he had his back turned as he was pouring the stew into the little bowls for the kits, otherwise the rabbit doe would’ve seen how flustered she’d made him. It didn’t take long for his nonplussed expression to turn into a smug smirk as he said the first teasing thing that came to his mind.

“It’s a good nickname, Carrots. I am pretty smooth, you know. You should’ve seen it, I even had this pretty rabbit doe in my arms earlier.”

The words were out before Nick had really thought about them. 

_ Karma! W-why did I just say that! _

And little Cotton had decided to make it worse for the both of them, “JUJU! Mister Nick thinks you’re pretty!” The kit loudly squealed her delight, “Do you really think she’s pretty Mister Nick?! Do you!?” the Kit pleaded for an answer.

Nick was in deep now.  _ Why didn’t I just keep my muzzle shut for ten seconds?!  _

A slight whimper came from his throat. He did think the rabbit was pretty, and he couldn’t deny the allure of her unique violet eyes. But she didn’t need to know that! But he couldn’t just say she wasn’t pretty either…

“Well, Cotton,” The fox turned, finally handing out the three bowls of stew to the kits. However, still not daring to look at the grey doe.

Nick licked his lips, _ Why is my throat so dry? _

He answered, “She’s very pretty.” quickly he attempted to divert attention, “Tell me if the stew is any good, Cottontail.”

With the carrot stew in her paws, she couldn’t help but simply hum her agreement as she started slurping up the meal. She, Ashes, and Ollie were quickly enraptured in their stew. Nothing quite distracted hungry rabbit kits like a meal made of carrots.

But now Nick had to face Judy as he gave the (admittedly) pretty rabbit doe her meal. He braced himself to see a look of disgust on her face, perhaps even anger or offense at his admission of her looks.

None of which came. With the pot of stew in paw he slowly lifted his eyes to meet hers. Verdant green locked with lively violet. Nick released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding as he looked in her amethyst eyes, no revulsion or disapproval could be seen in them.

Still the fox was worried he had just messed up the beginning to a friendship by his awkward, offhand comment. 

“Judy? Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

The rest of the words were lost to the doe as she stared at the fox.  _ Why is he apologizing? _

When Nick had said she was pretty, it opened up a variety of emotions within Judy. She couldn’t explain why the words of a fox would mean so much to her, but she was thrilled to think that he thought she was pretty, mind you not cute, but pretty.

When he said it, even though it was in a tease, she felt that he had meant it, and that made her feel attractive, simple as that. Strange from a fox… but nice.

And when Nick finally turned and looked at her with worried eyes, as if he had just messed up by saying something so sweet to her, it was the icing on the cake. It made her face redden again. 

Judy liked what he had said, so there would be no apology from this fox! She had to stop him! So naturally, she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind,

“You’re pretty too!” ...It worked, the fox stopped apologizing.

Instead of words, Nick’s face simply stopped with a dumbfounded expression. “I’m pretty?” He asked, quizzically.

“Uhh, yeah.”  _ Sweet carrots, why did I just call him pretty!?! Serendipity, Was that really the best I could think of? _

It started as a chuckle before the fox’s laughs became obnoxiously loud, Nick’s guffawing was only hampered by the dull pains that would emanate from his wounds at his straining for breath. The kits too couldn’t help but giggle in between their sips of the stew. Still, they were far more interested in continuing their delicious taste of home than participate in the adults’ conversation.

Judy looked perplexed (and slightly annoyed) at the fox as he laughed at her compliment. Finally the fox got ahold of himself, “I- I’m sorry, Carrots.”

The fox handed her the pot of stew so he could wipe at a happy tear from his laughter, 

“No one has ever called this tod pretty before. Strikingly handsome, yes, but not pretty.” 

The smug grin returned to the fox’s muzzle, as he put a paw to her back and led her to sit at the sewing table with him. “But thank you, fluff.” Nick gestured at the pot of stew in her hands, “I’m kind of out of bowls, so I hope you don’t mind eating from the cookware.” Nick couldn’t help but rub the nape of his neck with his good arm as he said that.

That wasn’t about to stop her, though. Judy didn’t hesitate in the least to begin eating. Her hunger had finally caught up to her and became the forefront of her attention. As she put the cooking pot to her lips, the flavor of the stew overwhelmed her. 

It wasn’t far too different from how her mother had cooked her stews, it was a slightly sweet, slightly bitter flavor: carrots. But it did have one key difference, salt. A rarity that she had only found once off of a predator trader she had confronted on one of her missions long ago. She savored how It complimented the natural bittersweet flavor of the carrots.

“Do you like it?” The fox looked at her with curious, hopeful eyes.

“This is really good, Slick.”

And there it was, Judy could see the warmth in his green eyes once again as he looked at her, a wide, happy grin dominating his face. It was obvious that he was gratified with her answer. 

It was so similar to the warm stares he gave the kits, but it felt different when he looked at her. There was a strong affection behind his eyes, one that made the rabbit’s face feel heated as she continued to eat the meal.

Nick couldn’t help but give a tender gaze at the doe, he had been filled with pride when the kits had enjoyed the meals he’d made them, but for Judy it made him feel an indescribable emotion. To see her eat a meal that he had made for her… well there weren’t words for the emotion, it just made him want to curl his tail around the doe and press his nose against her fur (he resisted, of course.) In short, it greatly pleased him to see her enjoy it.

It didn’t take long for all of the bunnies to eat their meals, Judy had asked Nick why he didn’t eat anything. Naturally, Nick had eaten before they had come back inside. (he certainly would prefer not eating salted fish meat in front of Judy on her first day of meeting him.)

The after meal conversations between the four rabbits and Nick were enjoyable for all. Nick found out a considerable amount about Judy. It didn’t come as a surprise at all that Judy had dreamed of being a scout for her clan since she was just a kit and had trained hard for it too. 

Nick certainly didn’t doubt her skills, but couldn’t help but tease her about the ‘warrior kit who would terrorize the gardens of her burrow.’ It was all in lighthearted jest, of course.

By the end of it, Nick knew a little bit about the doe’s aspirations, her dreams, and her family. And Judy knew a little bit of Nick’s life in the woods, his parents, and his hobbies and trade. They would have gladly continued their talking if it wasn’t for the loud, tired yawns of the kits sitting on the den floor in front of them.

“Sounds like somebunnies are getting very sleepy.” Nick teased, stifling a contagious yawn himself.

“We-we’rre not eeven tiired…” Ashes slurred, before yawning wildly.

Judy didn’t hesitate to scoop the buck up in her arms, resting his head on her shoulders. Within the second the kit's eyes closed and within the very minute he was out like a light.

“Not tired, huh?” Judy whispered as she rubbed her sleeping brother’s back. 

Ollie and Cotton weren’t far behind their brother, however they had just enough willpower to make it to the bed. They sleepily limped to the furniture and crawled to the blankets. Ollie was out as quickly as her head touched the bedding, not even wrapping herself underneath the covers. It was a valiant effort, nonetheless.

Cotton on the other hand, looked at her sister and Nick expectantly. “Mister Nick... Juju, aren’t you coming to bed? The sleepy doe asked, rubbing the tiredness at her eyes.

It wasn’t unusual for rabbit siblings to sleep in fluffy piles, so the question was innocent enough, however it appeared that neither Judy nor Nick had thought about their sleeping arrangements.

To throw wrenches in the arrangement, the sleepy kit clearly wanted both of them with her, the fox was injured and couldn’t sleep on the floor even if he wanted to, Ashes already tightly gripped Judy and wasn’t about to let go, and Judy had just reunited with her siblings that day.

There was only one way this was going, and both Judy and Nick were too exhausted already to even bother to look for a way around it. 

So in silent, respectful agreement, both the fox and the rabbit climbed into the bed. Nick sprawled out on his back on one side, while Judy reserved herself with a bit of space from the fox’s side, Ashes still sleepily clung to her. Nick’s tail found its way over to the sleeping speckled doe, wrapping around her to keep the kit warm. And Cotton placed herself against the side of the fox, in the space between him and Judy.

It didn’t take long, for the sleepy Cotton to nod off clinging to Nick’s good arm. Leaving only Nick and Judy awake on the bed.

“Goodnight, Carrots…” The fox said sleepily.

“Sleep well, Slick…” The rabbit doe softly quipped back.

There wasn’t much else to say, both were starting to feel the weight of the day forcing sleep to push against their eyelids. And with the comfort of fresh rain, violets, and warm bodies they both drifted closer to slumber. 

As their eyelids closed, they both had one final thought,

For Judy, it was the word  _ live _ ...  _ It wouldn’t be so bad… _

For Nick, it was the word  _ longshot _ ...  _ Maybe it’s not as crazy as I thought. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a long time to write, wasn't sure how I wanted to address the progression of the story for a while, but I think it turned out alright.


	13. Rites and Wrongs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short interlude between Home is where the Fox is Parts 1 and 2.  
> It appears that the Wolf problem may be intensifying.

**Rites and Wrongs**

It could be said that the rituals for a wolven burial were simple. The prayers to the ancestors would be given by the leaders of the pack, the body would be returned into the earth, the other wolves would howl and mourn over the loss of their member and the next hunt would be done in their honor.

For Sapper, (although still simple) his burial wouldn’t be the same. 

It would be a lone wolf desperately pleading that his mutilated and dishonored friend would be accepted by the ancestors. The torn body would be left in an unremarkable hollow and only one wolf would howl for the loss of his pack mate. 

Demas Wolford couldn’t give his friend the proper rites and ceremony he deserved, but he could do one thing. He could make the ones who did this to his friend pay. He could give Sapper a hunt in his honor. 

He didn’t know who he was after yet, but he would find them. For a wolf on the hunt, it would only be a matter of time.

Sapper’s body had been difficult for Wolford to carry back to the campsite alone. It had taken him the full day to maneuver the corpse without further damaging it. 

Wolford certainly did not want to further harm his friend’s body and soul. The reprobate who had desecrated his friend had done that plenty enough already.

The partial moon shone brightly over the wolf as he laid Sapper down at the edge of the clearing of the pack’s campsite. However, a surprise awaited Wolford as he approached the campsite of his pack- they were gone. The clearing laid empty, and all supplies taken. 

_ They must have moved… _

“Ah, I see you’ve returned, Demas.”

Well, apparently not all of them. At his birth name Wolford tensed. No one other than Sapper had been willing to call him by that thanks to the Alpha’s orders against it. 

Still, Wolford recognized the voice, “Sneaky as ever Brute.”

Brute, the Beta of the pack, hummed his agreement, “More than you know. After all, I had been trailing your return for over half the trip.”

Even when he was preoccupied with Sapper’s body, Wolford had never let his guard down. Yet he hadn’t even a whiff of anyone following him.

“Don’t give me that look, Demas. I didn’t receive my position as Beta for a lack of a reason.”

“Why?” Wolford asked with suspicion.

“I suppose you are asking why I trailed you? But… perhaps you would be more interested in why I have referred to you as your true name?” Brute gave a devious, wily smile, “I will only answer one. Choose carefully, Demas.”

Wolford was thrown off balance at the Beta’s response.  _ One of his games? Right now of all times? _

Wolford should have expected as much from him. He was well aware that Brute had always been one to test those around him. 

Perhaps it was a natural disposition of his, but it felt far more likely that his behavior was a role he had assumed as the Beta of the pack. Either way, Brute excelled at keeping the wolven hierarchy in order and the Alpha open to listening to different opinions. (Well, as open as Julius would ever be, anyway.)

“You have ten seconds to answer before I give you neither.”

Both questions were important to Wolford, but he knew this game. Surely, Brute was just trying to divert attention from his original question. Quickly he chose his initial question, 

“Why did you follow me?”

The Beta hummed noncommittally, “I’m surprised at your answer, I could’ve sworn you would’ve chosen your name. You’ve always been as sentimental as Sapper.”

“Answer the question!” Wolford shouted.

“Calm down, Demas. Need I remind you of your rank?” There was no heat in Brutus’ words. A simple reminder of position, and a strong expectation for Wolford to heed the structure of the pack. Nothing more, nothing less.

Begrudgingly, Wolford lowered his body stance, submitting to the Beta.

Satisfied at the display, Brute continued, “Good. I’m afraid the reason I trailed you isn’t as glamorous as the answer to the other question.” A hint of a smirk couldn’t be suppressed. 

“I simply wanted to make sure that you would be successful in your retrieval of the body… And I also thought you would prefer knowing where the next camp would be rather than conducting a tedious search.”

“You-” Wolford had to word his response carefully, he didn’t want to be verbally minced to bits by Brute, the Beta had always been good at that. “...Disregarded... ( _ that sounds safe enough,) Julius’ orders?” _

Brute hummed noncommittally once more and frowned at Wolford’s conclusion, “No. Unlike Sapper, I do not disregard orders, Demas. You retrieved the body and you had done it alone. I merely stuck around, with permission mind you, to be a guide to the next camp for a packmate.” 

It was true enough, and that was the best of an answer that Wolford could hope for from the Beta. 

Still the brown wolf knew he had Brute cornered in one area, an obvious disobedience to the Alpha… “But you did disregard an order.”

“Did I now?” Brute questioned back, a wisp of a smirk on his lips, it could be gathered he was enjoying this conversation. “Do tell then,  _ Demas _ .”

It was a challenge more than an order.

However the black wolf’s confidence didn’t deter Wolford, “The boss had given an  _ explicit _ order for no one to refer to me as Demas, but by my disbanded pack’s name.”

A satisfied grin took over the solid black wolf’s muzzle, “Ah, perhaps that’s true and I am disregarding an order, OR perhaps I could explain how I’m not actually disregarding that rule either. But I would say your opportunity for that knowledge has expired.”

“W-what?”

“Did I not say that you could only pick one question? And did you not choose to ask why I had trailed your return? I simply haven’t the obligation to answer.”

Wolford recognized his mistake immediately, he played the black wolf’s game and he lost. This was why there were few challenges to the Beta of the pack, he was as cunning as Julius, although  _ usually _ less ruthless in his tactics for dominance.

Internally the brown wolf groaned.  _ If you play the game you have to follow the rules _ . 

Wolford was forced to relinquish his challenge.

Disregarding their verbal spar, Wolford had the sneaking suspicion that Brute had come out here to observe the ritual and offer at least his presence for him and Sapper. 

Wolford hadn’t the highest opinions of every pack mate. However, if he had to choose to place confidence in any of them it would be Brute. The Beta had always been something of a diplomat, he valued what was for the common good of their group. So even if he cared little for the individual, Wolford could at least trust Brute to do what he thought was necessary for the overall benefit of their pack… 

And perhaps that involved being there for him during this burial.

And although Brute would not participate since he wouldn’t outright disregard an order, it meant a lot to Wolford to know that he was not alone in this endeavor.

“So I have answered your questions, Demas. So now it’s time that you answer one of mine.”

Wolford tensed, as he saw a contained rage within the solid eyes of the Beta, never did Brute lose his composure.

“Who did… this.” the black wolf gestured at the maimed corpse of the Omega.

At the unexpected sight of the Beta’s anger, Wolford’s own rage spiked again. 

With venom the brown wolf growled out, “I don’t know yet, but I will find them.”

Unlike Wolford or Sapper, Brute was not a sentimental wolf. However, the blatant disrespect perpetrated on this corpse was sickening and unforgivable. This was a  _ wrong _ that would not be overlooked by him.

With a deep frown, the Beta spoke again, “This is a threat to his afterlife.”

Truth be told, the ceremonies could be overlooked as long as the wolf’s body was returned to the earth and was made respectable in death. The rituals were mainly done to comfort the living and pay honor to their sacrifice. 

Neither of those things were necessarily applicable to a wolf like Sapper. But the body… it  _ had _ to be intact before it was returned to the earth… otherwise the damage to the soul could be…  _ irreversible. _

Because of that, Brute was battling his fury.

Dammit  _ Julius! If you had listened to me from the beginning instead of conducting that contrived test on this poor pup this wouldn't have happened! _

Frustration could not be helped, Brute had to compose himself. He knew his friend and leader had just been trying to utilize the bad situation to strengthen the pack. Not have a member’s body desecrated and made unacceptable to the Ancestors. 

Brute granted that their definitions of strength varied greatly, but regardless he and Julius shared the same goal of doing what would benefit the whole pack. 

After all, the idea of using Sapper’s death to force Wolford to step up and take initiative had its merits; it even had potential to lead Wolford to finally assert himself and vye for a higher rank in the pack. Things both he and Julius agreed would strengthen the pack.

But that didn’t change what had happened to Sapper! Brute wouldn’t allow this to stand, he knew that Julius shouldn’t have risked a member’s soul just to develop another member’s potential. It was a risky gamble and now they had to face the consequences. It was a wrong that their whole pack would need to correct- and even avenge.

This was a pack matter now and he would convince Julius to get involved. 

“Listen, Demas and listen well. You will  _ Not _ depart on some personal vendetta-”

At Brute’s statements Wolford had almost lost it, a growl escaped his throat.

“HEEL, DEMAS!” It was an edged, dangerous order.

Never had Brute raised his voice like that. It startled Wolford back into his senses. Immediately, he ceased growling and lowered himself before the Beta once again.

“Listen this time!” Brute calmed himself quickly, “This is a concern for the whole pack now. Despite Sapper’s low status and his less than honorable death… we cannot allow such atrocities to be carried out on any of our own.”

Indeed, it was personal now, an attack on a wolf’s body was equivalent to an attack on his very soul. It would not be taken lightly by any, and it would be an excellent way of gaining the ire of every wolf that would hear of such offenses being perpetrated on their kind.

Wolford’s body loosened from the Beta’s words. This was the first good news since he had been given permission to retrieve and bury Sapper’s body. Not only would he not have to leave the pack to achieve his goal, The pack would actively partake in the hunt of the desecrator. 

This meant that at the very least, there would be a true hunt for Sapper. They could avenge the wolf’s wounded soul.

There wasn’t a need for words at this point, with a new fervor Wolford began to prepare to give Sapper his rites the best that he could. He had dug out the hollow for his fallen friend, and he had given his intense prayers and bargainings for his acceptance over him. 

When Sapper was placed in his grave and covered, Wolford let out a howl for his fallen friend. A song of mourning, a primal soliloquy of sorrow dedicated for his comrade that would continue well into the night.

Brute simply watched the ceremony so heartfully given by his subordinate. He would resist the howl, even though he desired to show his respects to the dead. When Wolford finally finished the ceremony for Sapper, Brute gave him a nod and turned away, fully expecting Wolford to follow him to the new camp location.

It would be a silent trek. No questions, no disputes, no pleasantries or small talk. Just two brooding wolves. One with plans to persuade their Alpha of the situation, and another piecing together who and what could have done such a thing to his friend.

However, there was one indisputable feeling between both canines. 

_ Confidence. _

They were the hunters of the forest, they were the apex of predators. And when the whole pack was involved in the hunt, whether it be lowly rodents or the mightiest of moose, they would catch their prey. 

It may take a chase, careful planning and strategy, perhaps separating a calf from a mother, or digging through defenses and barriers, but they would catch their prey. 

It was the confidence that every wolf had. A trust that their pack, when they worked together, could corner any animal. That they could instill fear and intimidation, make their target panic, expose their weaknesses and force them to make the mistakes that would seal their fate.

And it was this belief that bolstered Demas Wolford as he and Brute traveled to their pack’s new site.  _ Don’t worry friend, we’ll make this right. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I prefer including the wolf pack subplot in the chapters with Nick and Judy. However I thought this one deserved to be separate from our protagonists and would work much better as an interlude to our main characters' stories. I'll try to keep most chapters focused more on Nick and Judy though, so don't worry about too many chapters that exclude them.
> 
> Home is Where the Fox is Part II is almost complete. It shouldn't take more than a few days for it to be ready. :)


	14. Home is Where the Fox is [Part II]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tears, fluff, and affection inbound. Judy and Nick have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took the time to go ahead and update and edit all 13 of the previous chapters, so now they have been fixed of almost all grammatical, spelling and spacing issues. Should be a lot more approachable to read. Will try to make sure all future chapters will be up to par along those lines :)
> 
> New Note as of Sep. 5th 2020.  
> Chapters 14-20 Have been structurally and grammatically restructured. The story is the same, but there are changes to the dialogue, a lot of cut repetition, general fixes, etc. :)

**Home is Where the Fox is [Part II]**

It couldn’t be helped that the fox woke up. After all, he was a nocturnal mammal and he had taken a very long nap midday. It would have been more surprising if he had managed to sleep through the whole night. 

Nick sleepily gazed at his surroundings. The fireplace had dulled to embers emanating a very dim glow throughout the den, the perfect light level for his night vision. 

He could see little Cotton had remained unusually settled so far, still clinging to his arm’s fur. He also noticed that Ashes was now cuddled next to her as well, effectively sandwiching the sandy brown doe between them. Although out of sight, Nick could feel little paws tightly gripping his tail’s fur. Ollie must have made herself very comfortable using the fluffy appendage as her blanket.

All of this brought a relaxed smile to the tod’s muzzle. It was  _ Bliss.  _ Everything he could have ever wanted was surrounding him at that moment… 

Almost.

He couldn’t help but feel something was missing… something important. As the fog lifted from his mind that something became more and more apparent. 

“Carrots?” Nick whispered, silently gazing around the room. 

_ She’s not in the den…  _

Before Nick could jump to rash conclusions he decided to appeal to his logical side. It was probable that she had just gone out for some air. He imagined how crazy these last few days had been for the bunny... Which only served to make the fox fret even more over the truant rabbit.

Try as he might, the fox couldn’t alleviate the sense of worry he felt for the doe. He was already well aware that she could handle herself, but she had really been through a lot. And although rare, there were other predators that would sometimes encroach on his territory. Not to mention the chance that a bird of prey could be around. Both things the fox would prefer a mentally distracted bunny not have to confront.

_ It wouldn’t hurt to check on her... _

Carefully, the fox untangled himself from the kits snoozing in the bed and covered them with the soft blankets. The fox stifled a chuckle at Ollie as she sleepily crawled towards the warmth radiating from her two siblings.

As Nick neared the entrance tunnel he gave an affectionate look to the fluffle of kits. He still couldn’t believe how quickly he had grown attached to them. How quickly his heart had given way to them… 

It was true, thanks to the attack on him that morning and the subsequent series of events, he hadn’t had the opportunity to fully work out his emotions concerning the kits, but it was just as undeniable to him now as it was then… 

At first, he merely wanted to do right by his parents. However, when those kits had warmed up to him, he warmed right up to them as well. And when he discovered what had happened to them it had awoken an instinct that demanded he protect them. He had to do not what was just right by his parents, but what was right by these rabbits as well. 

And when they had discovered that he was a fox, he was so sure that they would have been afraid of him, terrified even. But they weren't; they had trusted him as if it was a natural thing.

And when little Cotton had asked if they could live with him, whether or not she knew it, it was as if she had asked him if they could be a family. 

When he had unhesitantly said yes to her request… Nick knew he was a goner. 

He could say without a doubt in his mind that he, Nick Wilde, _loved_ these kits with all of his heart. Everything they did in their short time together had conspired against him.

_ Family.  _ He thought.  _ They’re family. _

He hadn’t had a family in a long time, but he had never forgotten what it was like to feel love for someone. He would do right by them, and that started with looking for their missing grey sister outside, undoubtedly dealing with the events of the past few days. 

And with those concerns Nick went to search for Judy.

As he stepped outside, Nick could see the bright moon was shedding plenty of light on the snowy forest below it. With his eyesight it wouldn’t take long for him to spot the rabbit doe. In fact, even if he didn’t have such good night vision, he would have found Judy rather quickly considering she was standing in the snow only a stone's throw from the den’s entrance.

However, Nick immediately realized something wasn’t right with the rabbit. Judy was standing so frighteningly still with her back towards the fox. It was a peculiar scene that if he’d not known her, he would have feared that she was some sort of lagomorphic apparition here to haunt his den.

“Carrots?” Nick called to her, concern evident in his voice. 

Judy’s ears twitched slightly at his voice, but she made no other effort towards the fox.

Worriedly, Nick approached the rabbit doe. “Judy?” 

As Nick neared her, he noticed her lithe body tremble. 

_ Something’s wrong. _

Hastily he eyed the forest to see what had the rabbit so on edge… But there was nothing. Just the cold air bristling through their fur, and the various types of trees that made up the forest. Nick couldn’t help but wonder what had this warrior bunny so-

“Do you hear it?” Judy asked, interrupting the fox’s visual search for danger.

He perked his ears to listen, only to be greeted by the silence of the wintry forest. There was nothing out of the ordinary. 

Confused Nick asked, “Hear what, Carrots? What’s wrong?”

He laid a paw on Judy’s shoulder.Initially, she flinched at the touch, but in recognition of who it belonged to, she relaxed slightly. 

“How can you not hear it, Nick? It’s been-” with shaky paws she clutched her ears tightly, “relentless…”

The tight grip she had on her long ears was concerning, Nick hoped she wouldn’t bruise them from such a strong hold. The fox knelt to the ground next to her and gently turned the rabbit doe to face him. 

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” He soothed.

With Judy now facing the crouching fox he could see her nose was wildly twitching, and so far she had yet to even meet eyes with him. 

Despite his shoulder’s wound, Nick placed both his paws on her shoulders and gently spoke, “It’s okay Judy, please, what did you hear? What’s wrong?”

His gentle contact and soft voice did a great deal to ease the doe. Slowly, Judy loosened her grip on her ears and met eyes with the fox in front of her. She had an ashamed, guilt-ridden expression. The doe’s trembling worsened as she tried to find her words, it was tough to speak about what was bothering her. 

Still, her heart calmed considerably more as she saw the concern etched in the tod’s face. Even in the moonlight, Judy could make out the green irises that looked at her with care. Despite what was bothering her, she couldn’t help but feel a little warmer by his gaze. The reassurance she received from it was just enough for her to let him in.

“The howling… Nick, th- they're taunting me, I just know it.” Another tremble ran through her body and her grip on her ears tensed again as she desperately tried to block out the distressing noise.

_ Howling? _

Nick focused his ears again. It took a second for it to register, but sure enough, a very faint howl of a wolf could be heard in the distance. From what he could judge, the wolf had to have been miles and miles away. Fox hearing was quite sensitive and he could barely register it, however he imagined that with Judy's ears, it was plenty clear.

Nick pulled the doe closer to him. She didn’t resist the pull of his arm or the warmth of his chest. She came out here to deal with this alone, but it couldn’t be clearer to her now that she needed someone to lean on.

She broke. Fully, she clung to the body in front of her for shelter from the assault on her ears. That howling, that infernal sound filling the night air, came from a creature that had taken part in the culling of her family. They had taken her parents, her siblings and her home. 

She hated that terrible creature, she hated it’s awful howl, and she hated how it must have felt so prideful making sport of all she had ever loved. 

But that hatred for the wolf was overshadowed by a greater anger. 

More than anything, even more than she hated those wolves…  _ she hated herself _ .

_ I wasn’t there. _

She was absent when they were attacked. If she had been there she would’ve fought, could’ve changed how it all happened… could’ve saved everyone. In her mind, she was responsible for how everything had turned out. 

Logic be damned, it was a fact that things would have turned out differently if she had only been there. So how couldn’t she hate herself when the howls of the murderous wolves reminded her of her failure to protect them? 

The noise was a taunt that brought to the surface all of her inner turmoil.

_ It's your fault they're gone, your fault the kits lost their family. _

Never had Judy felt so…  _ helpless. _

She was the scout for her clan! She was supposed to confront, fight, and outsmart her enemies! But she had been too late. She had been helpless to change anything. And with that helplessness, she could only tremble and shake as she wept against the fox’s chest. 

_ I’m worthless. I should’ve been there to help. _

As the doe struggled with her thoughts, the fox was hard at work trying to assuage the doe. 

Indeed, Judy would attest the only solace she drew came from the sweet scent of violets emanating from his clothes and fur, and the gentle claws that had been scritching little circular patterns on the small of her back.

Nick was gentle with her. He knew there weren’t many words that would be comforting to the hurting doe, and if he said the wrong thing he would make things even worse. They may not have talked about it directly, but from what he had gathered from the kits the past few days, he was sure that her family's fate was… tragic.

_ I’m sorry, Carrots. _

For now the fox remained silent. Nick just held her, communicating in the ways his parents had with him when he was hurting. Softly, he continued his ministrations with his claws along her back, offering soothing comforts to the rabbit.

It didn’t escape him how she would lean into his claws as he scritched along her back, or how she would press her face into his chest as she wept. She was clinging to him for dear life. He’d been there before, sadly he only had himself to cling to for it. He was glad she didn’t have to be alone like that.

Time went on as they sat there, the moon had moved a significant distance in the sky before the howling had ceased. 

It took much time, but Judy finally began to calm down. They had sat down long ago, and Judy had climbed into the fox’s lap, and so far had refused to move her face from his chest. She inhaled the scent of her home that wafted from the fox, she didn’t want to leave it.

He wouldn’t make her leave, either. The only thing he was insistent on was getting her to let go of her ears from the vice grip she had on them. He frowned at how ruffled they were, her paws undoubtedly bruised the sensitive appendages.

The sight of the injury stirred Nick’s protective instincts, 

_ She’s _ hurt! His instincts told him.

His paws migrated to her ears to scritch them and smooth her fur. Judy had laid them flat as the fox gently stroked the furry appendages. He refused to neglect a single inch as he pet them, gently smoothing the fur and trying his best to ease any pain she may have caused in her distress. 

He noticed a shiver run down her as he scratched them smooth. Whether it was from her heightened emotions or the cold he did not know. But either way, it made him wrap his tail around the doe, creating a cocoon of warmth to keep the frigid air at bay.

He adamantly denied any and all discomforts to reach the rabbit in his arms. And for the next hour she peacefully rested in his embrace, enjoying the emotional support that he willingly offered her.

She had been so still he had assumed she had fallen asleep. He would’ve soon carried her back to the den if not for the most heartbreaking whisper to reach his ears,

“It’s my fault…”

He swallowed hard at what she said,  _ I’ve heard those words before _ . 

“Judy…”

She cut him off, “It- its my fault. I- I w-wasn’t there, Nick! I WASN’T THERE!” 

She gripped his clothing firmly with her paws. It hurt a bit as she also gripped the fur underneath it, but he ignored the discomfort. She needed this, and he preferred his fur over seeing her grip her ears again.

In great distress, she spilled her heart's troubles on the fox, “I could’ve been there Nick, I- I could’ve protected my clan! B-but instead I was playing hero-scout in the woods!” 

The bunny was starting to hyperventilate again, and at her faster paced breathing Nick pressed her tighter to his chest. Much like the kits, he hated seeing her cry. And just like them, she deserved better than what she had gotten.

“If I had only been there Nick, if I had been there-!” He could feel her tears soaking into his tunic, but he was helpless to stem them. 

“I- I did everything wrong, I c-couldn’t help any of them because I was gone! I sh-should’ve never been a scout. I- I was the eldest, th- they were my responsibility… and I failed them…”

_ Powerless. _

She had been unable to change a thing throughout the whole ordeal. She couldn’t even take credit for the safety of her surviving siblings. All she had managed to do was injure the one who actually did save them, another sin she added to her guilt-stained conscience.

She could feel the wet spot she was leaving on Nick’s clothes, and even that small, miniscule, little thing compounded her misery and self-hatred. 

_ Now you’re getting his clothes wet. You stupid, emotional bunny. Haven’t you done enough to him already? He doesn’t even want you here. You’ll never be able to pay him back for all that he’s done, you should just leave and let him take care of the kits. At least they would be safe here… Y ou would just get them killed like you did for ev-.  _

Her self-loathing was interrupted by the solemn voice of the fox,

“When mom got sick…”

Judy froze. Nick had talked about his parents earlier that night with her, but he had neglected to tell her anything past endearing childhood memories. The fox hadn’t said a word about an illness.

“...Me and dad did everything we could to help her get better. We tried so hard, but she- she kept getting weaker and weaker… She would just spend the days in bed heaving up whatever we gave her. And, Karma, her fever had been so high...”

Judy could feel Nick steel himself for what he would say next,

“Me, mom and dad shared a bed that night. Me and dad knew it was dangerous for us to do that with her being sick, but- we just had to… we had that feeling…” 

The fox chuckled, but there was no humor in it, “Looking back, I think me and dad knew there and then what was about to happen, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to admit it. We were both so stubborn.” 

Nick gazed blankly into the woods, his voice was detached, “And when me and dad woke, she was gone.”

Judy held back her tears as her heart broke for her Vulpine companion. 

_ Nick, I’m so sorry. _

A long pause filled the void as Nick stared deeply into the trees, he was far off for the moment.

“Dad was a wreck that day.” His gaze returned to the doe as he continued his story. 

“He wouldn’t let her go, you know. Just sat in bed and held her all day, whispering to her… I- I had always known he loved her, but watching him just sit there and whisper to her that morning… It- it was sobering, he- I- I was just a stupid kit, I didn’t realize how much he  _ had _ loved her…” 

Nick’s arm clutched Judy a bit tighter as he trailed off once again. Patiently she waited for him to continue. 

“I don’t think it had hit me right then… I hadn’t even cried yet. It- it wasn’t until we had started to bury her that I really realized-” He swallowed hard, “That that was it- that I was never going to see her again.”

Nick paused for another long moment before releasing a shudder. 

“It must’ve really hit Dad then too because he wasn’t the same after that.”

Judy didn’t like this story. Not one bit, but she wanted- no, she  _ had _ to know what had happened next. Quietly she lifted herself from his chest and grabbed his paws. Hers were much smaller than his, but with every bit of reassurance she could give him, she gave. With tearful violet eyes she pleaded for him to keep going.

It was enough for Nick to continue, he needed her to hear this, “He just- he wouldn’t eat, he wouldn’t drink…and when he did he could hardly keep it down. He was so heartbroken, Judy… I- I tried,  _ really tried _ , so hard to help him, but he would just smile at me and tell me he was alright, that there wasn’t anything wrong… but eventually, he couldn’t say that anymore. He started getting sick too… I did my best for him Judy. I tried even harder to help him. I- I couldn’t  _ lose _ him too.” 

There was a long lull as Judy stared at the fox, she was hanging on his words.

“But I did... I did lose him.”

There was nothing to stop the tears from rolling down their faces.

“Nick… I’m so sor-”

He cut her off, “Judy, I was there for both of them, and you know what I was able to change?”

“W-what?” She asked, a bit unsure.

“I changed nothing… I did my best and they died anyway! I couldn’t change any of it. It- it was out of my control.”

She didn’t understand, so the fox pressed on.

“After that day, I grew bitter. All I thought about was how a better son would’ve been able to have done more to save them... and maybe, just maybe, if I had been better they would still be alive… I was so angry at myself, Judy. I spent my days thinking how maybe if I had loved them more, I would have figured  _ something _ out to change what had happened.”

Judy squeezed the fox’s paws with her own, she knew that wasn’t true. Nick couldn’t blame himself for something like that! That was out of his control, that was just something that happened!

“Nick, that wasn’t your fault, there wasn’t anything you could have done…”

“I know that now,” He smiled faintly at her, “But back then, I was so convinced that it was my fault. It was just a fact to me.”

With a stern expression he looked at the doe, “Judy, I know you don’t want to believe me, but what happened to you wasn’t your fault. None of it was.”

She was taken aback, What did he mean it wasn’t her fault! She  _ knew _ things would have been different if she had been home!

“I could’ve changed-”

“You couldn’t Judy, it was out of your control, just like it was out of control for me.” He grabbed her shoulders firmly again as he stared into her eyes, “It wasn’t your fault.”

“Nick, If- if I had been there!-”

“Then Ollie, Ashes and Cotton wouldn’t have their sister right now.”

That stopped her. If she had been there, then what could she have actually done? She couldn’t help but wonder if that was really the only change she would have made?

_ It’s not like they ne- _

As if he had read her thoughts, he answered her, “They need you, Judy. Didn’t you see how happy they were when they saw you? They really need their sister.”

He had her dead to rights. Despite how she was feeling, she couldn’t deny how happy the kits had been to see her, nor how happy she had been to know they were safe and healthy. Judy’s mind couldn’t help but wander to the words little Ollie had said to her earlier that night,  _ ‘I’m gonna be just like you! _ ’ 

Those words had bolstered her then, and now the fox had reminded her once again. Her sorrows had made her lose sight for a moment, but this fox had brought out at least some of the truth: 

_ They still need me. _

She wasn’t ready to admit that she couldn’t have changed what happened to her family, and she still felt the guilt of being the only surviving rabbit other than her youngest of siblings. But she could hold onto the fact that she had a purpose. She would be there for them.

Still, one thing bothered the doe, 

“Nick…” The doe couldn’t stop the tears that began streaming down her cheeks again, “Why… why do you even care?!”

That staggered him a bit, he hadn’t expected such a question. The fox silently held the doe, as he searched for the right words.

“Remember when you helped me back to the den?

Judy was puzzled by this, so far the reminder that she had caused him pain did nothing to alleviate her remaining sorrow. 

“Yeah…” she answered, sniveling.

“And when you cleaned my wounds?”

“Yeah…”  _ Not helping, Nick. _

“And when you called this tod pretty?”

She couldn’t help but snort at that one, “Yeah.”

“Carrots, you’ve given me something that no other mammal outside of your little siblings would have ever given me.”

He had her full attention now.

“You’ve given me compassion, and hope, and kindness and… Karma- you  _ trust me _ .” 

He sighed deeply, as if he was in thought, “You know, I think I would’ve taken a dozen more stabs with that pointy stick of yours if it meant I could feel trusted again.” 

There was a small smile on the fox’s lips as he looked down at her.

Indeed, the closest thing to trust he had been shown by any living mammal, excluding the recent bunnies, had been the few pred traders who would tentatively conduct business with him. Even they, raccoons and weasels and the like, would look at the fox with disdain and caution, and a few of them had been trading with him for years!

His statement could’ve been mistaken for humor if his eyes weren’t so earnest. The verdant greens left no room for doubt or insecurity to spring up in her mind. Even in the darkness of night she could see the warmth in his stare. He had meant  _ every _ word.

_ Trust?  _ She asked herself,  _ I trust him? _

She mentally reviewed the day they had spent together.  _ When have I trusted him? _

The strong scent of violets and the red paws around her answered the question. Right now, for one.

Her eyes widened at the realization, not fully comprehending why she had let herself be so openly trusting to him… it had all just felt so ... _ Natural. _

All of it felt that way.  _ His smile, his scent, his paws, his eyes… _

_ His eyes…  _ His eyes even now were staring at her warmly. It was an affectionate, caring stare that was easy to trust.

Being pinned underneath his earnest gaze made her ears redden. He looked at her with adoration and... something else. Something that caused her whole body to heat up uncomfortably. She would’ve squirmed under his gaze if his paws didn’t just gently move to cradle her face.

She was burning hot now.  _ Slick, why are you making me feel…  _

Her thoughts derailed as she melted into his warm caring paws. She cherished how they held her face, it was as if he was holding some delicate treasure… And when she saw Nick’s muzzle coming closer to her, she couldn’t help but lean in closer. 

It was a strange thing, a night ago, if she had been this close to a fox’s muzzle, she would have fought tooth and claw to get away from it. Now however, she felt a strange hope building in her heart as Nick’s muzzle neared her face. 

No, not just hope, but something else too. Hope accompanied by a feeling in her heart that told her she  _ wanted _ something from this fox. A  _ desire _ not realized, but one that would be answered if she closed her eyes and leaned in a little closer to his muzzle… 

Her eyes opened in shock when she felt a wet sensation on her cheek.

“N- Nick? What are you doing?”

“Shh, it's ok Carrots.” He said as he licked away the dried tracks of tears in her fur. 

She couldn’t help but giggle at what the fox was doing, “Niiick! Gross!” 

“You don’t sound that upset, rabbit.” He snarked.

He wasn’t about to stop, he had to do this. His mother had taught him that no one should have to shoulder tears alone, and just as he had been taught as a kit, he did what was natural to him. He licked away her tears, a  _ promise _ that he would carry her burdens with her.

Judy couldn’t help but have a small smile as the fox licked her face. Her face was as red as him, but she couldn’t help but be thankful for what he was doing. It was absolutely a weird thing, something that rabbits certainly did not do, but she couldn’t help but feel that this meant something much more to foxes. So she smiled at the fox as he finished cleaning the last evidence of tears from her face.

Her smile faded slightly as she saw the tracks on his face and muzzle too. That wouldn’t do for the bunny. Not when he had just made her genuinely smile after being overwhelmed with grief. She reached for Nick’s face and cradled it the same way he had cradled her. Little fingers dug into the soft cream-colored fur underneath the fox’s jaw. She saw his eyes widen, but she didn’t back down from his surprised reaction. 

“Carrots?” The fox questioned, his voice a little thick from the way she had grabbed him.

_ Carrots- Judy? What are you- _

“Shh, it’s ok Slick” She said, parroting what he said to her just a moment ago. 

Even though it was weird to her, she wanted to return the gesture. It had put her at ease, and she wanted him to feel the same from her. Her diminutive tongue was nothing like the fox’s, but with just as much tenderness, she mimicked his motions. First on his cheeks, and then to the tears that had strayed down his muzzle.

Nick found himself moved by the doe’s reciprocation. He hadn’t expected that she would follow a habit that fox’s would do for each other. It was something only those who were close to each other would do. And granted he had done it for her, he still hadn’t expected her to return the favor.

As she licked at his cheeks he couldn’t help but feel his admiration for the doe soar to new heights. However, when she began licking his muzzle, even so close to the sides of his lips, he felt something different, something that caused a slight whine to escape him when she had finished and pulled away from the tod.

His ears burned a dark shade of red both from embarrassment at his whimper from the doe ceasing her ministrations and from how heated he felt from what she had done.

_ When did I close my eyes?  _ That was a good question. He had subconsciously shut his eyes while drinking in that whole experience.That wasn’t normal in that kind of exchange, at least not form his childhood experiences. He had never felt what he had just experienced from her and hadn’t a clue of what to do about it. He filed the feeling away for later review. 

As he opened his eyes he noticed the doe stifling a laugh at his expense. She was clearly amused at the dopey, intoxicated, expression on his face.

He chuckled too before clasping her paws with his own. With that happy smile, filled with the desire to keep his silent promise and with desire to have the doe and kits live with him, he said one more thing out of hope,

“Let’s go  _ home _ , Judy.”

She was floored by that statement. There it was again, that word.  _ Home.  _ He had said it to Cotton, and now he was saying it to her. She had to know what he meant by it.

“Home?”

Perceptively, he realized that she had caught on to his wording. 

Shyly, he responded, “I-if you would like to call it that…”

She could see the hope in his eyes, she could also feel his tail, looped around her lightly pat against her back in what she could only assume was optimism. 

It was a picture that clearly showed how much he desired her and the kits to stay with him. 

A picture that perplexed her.

_ Why does he want us to burden him? _

She could see him letting them  _ stay _ for a while out of pity, especially while he healed from his injuries and could use the help. But she struggled with the thought of him hoping for them to make a home with him! 

But his hopeful eyes weren’t lying.

_ “ _ Why?” She asked, voice downtrodden.

His tail stopped its wag, and his ears pinned back. He couldn’t help but feel he had unwittingly messed up. 

“Why what?”

Her words were stiff, “Nick, I have  _ never _ met another mammal who would just do something like that for anyone. You don’t even owe me anything, I owe you! I hurt you! I can’t pay you back, so why would you want to do that for us, wouldn’t we be intruding in your life?”

“Pay me back?” The fox was nonplussed by what the bunny was saying, “What for?”

Now it was Judy’s turn to feel bewildered. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT FOR?!”

His eyebrows furrowed, “I mean just that. You don’t owe me anything. Why would you think that?”

He wasn’t getting it. Wasn’t getting that Judy owed him for everything he had done for her.

Judy was beginning to get a little angry,  _ How could he not know that?!? _

“Nick you saved my siblings... Th- they would have died-”

“l love them.” His words were solid. Factual. No room for argument. His verdant green stare still warm, and very earnest.

_ He… he loves them?  _ The rabbit doe internally questioned. She was dazed by his declaration. 

_ How could he love them, he’s a fo-  _

“It's weird, you know?” Nick continued undeterred, but definitely crestfallen by her dazed look, “At first I was just doing the right thing, like mom and dad would’ve wanted me to do, but they warmed up to me so quickly, Carrots. They really got under my fur… and I just- Karma they really won me over so fast, I just wanted them to stay here so badly.” 

It was clear that Nick thought she had just killed any chance of them living there with him, but now that he had started talking about them, he couldn’t stop.

“For the first time in so long… It was like I had a family again… how could I not love them?”

Judy listened to every word of the fox’s confession. 

_ How could a  _ _ fox _ _ love bunnies? _

A  _ fundamentally _ flawed question . A question that couldn’t pertain to the tod that was before her. She had noted before that even other rabbit clans may have turned away the orphaned kits, as well as any other prey mammal. His feelings had nothing to do with species or being a predator or even a fox. No, this came down to who Nick was, this was because he was… 

_ Kind. _ A characteristic that she had noted oh so often from him. She had internally asked already, how he could be so kind and he had given her his answer… 

_ He loves them, _

Like family. It was why, in the fox’s mind, she owed him nothing. Why would she owe him for saving those he loved?

Judy couldn’t understand it, but… even more so, she couldn’t doubt it. 

Her heart warmed as she looked at him. Yeah, it was hard to believe. But he was kind. Not like other predators or even most prey. He was Nick, and she wasn’t about to doubt that he had the capacity to love them when he had spent the last several hours holding her… a bunny that had hurt him so badly earlier that day.

She wrapped her arms back around the chest of the fox and hugged him fiercely.

_ If… if he wants us to live here…  _

“Slick,”

He was a bit taken aback by the use of his nickname, “Carrots?..”

“You really are a smoothtalker, you know.” She snuggled further into his chest and smiled.

“Judy…” 

She squeezed him tighter at the use of her real name.

They sat there for a moment, silently understanding the acceptance that they had both just given each other. And after the peaceful, content moment, Nick couldn’t stop himself from suddenly picking the rabbit doe up bridal style. 

He flinched momentarily as he had forgotten about his poor shoulder, but nonetheless he wasn’t about to put her down. Indeed, she only encouraged it when her arms wrapped around his neck and she leaned her head against his good shoulder. Perhaps it was selfish, but it was selfish for both of them. This moment was special, and it belonged to both of them.

Holding the doe, he looked at her with many emotions. Care, admiration, and affection abounded within his heart as he comprehended what she granted him. And with those emotions he held that gaze at her as he carried her back into the den. 

Finally inside  _ their _ den _ ,  _ Nick carried her to the bed. The kits slept peacefully in a fluff pile at the center, very much enjoying the warmth of each other and the soft blankets. Ollie had found her natural spot next to her brother, and Cotton, in her usual fashion, had managed to sprawl out on top of both of them.

Judy smiled at the adorable sight of her sleeping siblings, and she couldn’t help but look up at Nick's face. A loving smile was spread across his muzzle as he gazed at the kits. A smile that warmed her heart for him even more. He truly wouldn’t leave any doubt for his affections towards the kits.

Gently, he lowered Judy on one side of the little rabbits before he carefully placed his still hurt frame on the opposite. Together, they created the perfect nook to cradle the young kits in. 

For the second time that night, the bunny and fox had found themselves in the bed together. However, this time they couldn’t help but look at each other in the dim light, only separated by the snoozing kits between them. 

Neither could explain what was coming over them as they gazed at each other, but very quietly their paws found each other and interwove. Neither knew what it meant for themselves or for the mammal they now held the paw of, but with each other in their grip they wouldn’t feel alone.

For the next hour they held each other's paws and quietly whispered to each other. 

Nick understood that although so much had been resolved for Judy, she would have so much more she’d have to work through. And Judy so very much wanted to know more about the fox laying across from her. So they came to an agreement. From now on, after the kits would fall asleep, they would sit outside the den for a little while each night and take time to get to know each other.

When their whisperings were finally silenced and their eyelids were too heavy to keep open they both began to entertain their last thoughts before sleep claimed them.

For a smiling Judy, it was the word  _ Live. this really isn’t so bad. _

And For a smirking Nick, it was the word  _ longshot. It’s not so crazy a hope, afterall. _

Firmly clasping each other's paws, the rabbit and fox drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It appears that the feelings of our main characters are intensifying and complicating :) I enjoyed writing this chapter immensely, although it by far was the hardest chapter to write and the longest one so far! All the same the story will continue :)


	15. Talks: of Family; Talks: of Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A new family is blossoming and new feelings are being exposed to our fox and bunnies. The wolf problem is brewing, however inner conflict seems to be surfacing in their leadership

**Talks: of Family; Talks: of Betrayal**

Rarely would Judy sleep in past dawn; like clockwork the rabbit’s body would spring to life at the first signs of sunlight rising from the east. The last few days had made sure to change that. With her overdue scouting mission, the scramble to search for the missing kits, and her late night up with the fox, Judy could safely say her circadian rhythm had been splintered to pieces.

And with the comfortable warmth that enveloped her body from the soft blanket she had covered herself with, a late morning start was all but inevitable. 

Or at least that would’ve been the case if not for the noisy giggling filling her ears. Amethyst eyes creaked open ever so slightly to see the ruddy colored blanket that she had covered her head with. Her mind was in a fog from the comforting scent of violets the blanket radiated.

With her nose, the grey doe calmly drew in deep breaths from her covering, filling her with delight and causing a contented smile on her sleepy face. At the flowery scent, she relaxed and let her eyes close. The sounds of giggling already banished from her dazed mind. 

...Until she heard the fits of light laughter again, this time accompanied with poorly suppressed whispers. Judy didn’t have the power yet to open her tired eyes again or make any meaningful efforts to silence what she now was sure were her siblings. So instead, she just tightly pressed the soft, fluffy blanket to her head in an effort to muffle their voices. 

However, the covering wasn’t enough to block out Ollie’s very poor inside voice, 

“I still don’t see why Jude is hogging his tail, Ashie! She won’t even share!”

_ Tail?..  _ Judy thought, her sleepy mind still not quite functioning.

And there the giggle was again. Judy could now tell that it had been coming from her younger brother, Ashes. 

“But you put up a good fight for it though.” The buck consoled his sister, albeit while still giggling at Ollie’s incessant pouting.

As the sleepy fog slowly lifted from her mind, Judy was starting to piece things together. She cracked her eyes open again to see her ruddy colored blanket. She ran her fingers through the soft fluffy… fur. 

_...Linen blankets don’t have fur _ . 

And then it registered, and she found herself much more awake. 

_ Tail… TAIL! This is Nick’s tail! _

Her ears reddened at the realization that she’d been using the fox’s tail as a blanket, and had apparently been so zealous for it that she had fought it away from her younger siblings!

It would have been funny if it wasn’t so embarrassing! How was she going to face the fox now!?

Although it wasn’t constant, the fox had proven to have a knack for teasing her into embarrassment. She vividly remembered how his slightly suggestive comments had left her feeling so flustered and awkward… 

And now she had just given him all the material he would ever need to make her blush so much that she would match his fur color! This was bad!

Even so, Judy knew she might as well face the teasing tod’s face now and get it over with. Tentatively, Judy lifted her very appreciated ‘blanket’ off and sat up from the bed, prepared for the teasing the fox would have for her.

However, her worries were for nothing. She let out a sigh of relief as she looked at the dozing vulpine next to her… 

_ Wait, next to me? _

Yes, next to her. No longer were the kits between her and Nick. Judy found herself tightly pressed against the tod’s uninjured arm, all while she still clung to his tail with her paws. Her face reddened at her sleeping habits, she must have moved in her sleep and now she had ended up right against the fox.

_ Sweet carrots, I’m getting worse than Cotton… _

Speaking of the sandy brown doe, as Judy gazed at the sleeping fox next to her, she could see that little, sleepy Cotton had made herself very comfortable in the center of the fox’s chest. Judy’s heart skipped a beat at seeing Nick’s paw resting ever so gently on top of the little doe’s frame. 

It was as if he was offering his paw as both a warm covering, and a promise of protection for the little kit. 

In her heart, Judy truly believed that was the case.

The affectionate smile that grew on the rabbit’s face was as contented as the kit sleeping on the fox. Judy’s heart felt full as she observed the adorable scene of the two sleeping. 

_ Slick… you really are a big softie.  _

With Nick’s confession for his love of the kits still fresh in her mind, Judy couldn’t help but enjoy the poetic nature of the scene before her… Even though Cotton was the one quite literally in the fox’s paw, Judy knew that Nick was the one wrapped around Cotton’s finger. It made the grey doe’s heart skip at the symbol of love and trust she was witnessing.

Everything about the scene made Judy’s affection for the fox all the stronger. And seeing the two like this caused a stray thought from yesterday to re-enter her mind,

_ ‘He’s so good with kits.’ _

Yesterday her observation made her feel flustered and embarrassed. She hadn’t an understanding of why she thought that then. 

But now it was clear. 

She thought it because it was true. 

And it was true because he really, genuinely  _ loved  _ them.

And knowing the fox’s warm, loving devotion made her feel happy. Not embarrassed or confused like yesterday, just happy. This strange, but very good fox loved her family and treated them with the same care that a parent would treat their own kit.

His feelings were a truth that she hadn’t been able to deny. He cared for them. A small, tired smile crossed her lips at the crazy reality. This fox loved them and even when he laid there unconscious, it showed with how warmly he held her tiny sister.

His affection was contagious. And just how his paws so tenderly displayed his devotion for the kit that it protectively covered, Judy had decided to show her affection to the fox in their own way.

With gentle, curious paws she began petting the tod’s tail that now rested in her lap. Happily, Judy ran her fingers through the fluffy appendage, smoothing out and straightening the fur in the same manner he had done for her ears the night before. For the moment, it was just her and her task of softly grooming Nick as he so peacefully slept.

And when the fox began eliciting the most delightful purring in his slumber, Judy couldn’t have been any happier for how she was making him feel. It pleased her to know that she could make this fox feel so good. 

She had so much gratitude for everything this predator had done for her family, and even though he didn’t feel that she had owed him, she would make it up to him in every little way she could…

_ I can’t pay you back Slick… but maybe I can make your world a better place…  _

So Judy had a new objective in her life, and yet her new objective was essentially her old one. Her goal would be to protect those who she cared about. 

She would be there for _her_ _family_ … 

And even though he was a fox, if he could see her siblings as his family… then maybe it wasn’t too much for her to see him as a part of hers?

“What do you think, Slick?” She whispered to the sleeping fox, “Could I call you family?”

Her quiet question was greeted by his pleased purrs, and she decided to take that as a yes.

She obviously knew that unconscious purring wasn’t an answer to that question, but she couldn’t help but feel her spirits lift at the very happy sounds he made as she groomed the sleeping tod. 

It was an easy choice for her as she watched the snoozing fox, 

_ He’s family now _ . She decided.

So much had happened in the last few days. She had lost most of her loved ones to wolves, she hunted a fox to regain her surviving siblings, she befriended the fox she had wounded, and now she was calling  _ him _ family. 

What a strange world.

It had been such a wild journey for the doe, and only now, as Judy ran her fingers through this fox’s tail did she feel at peace. No frantic scrambling, no inner turmoil weighing on her mind, this was truly her first real moment of peace. A moment that she took her time savoring.

And it was something to savor… until it was over. 

Judy’s ears perked at renewed giggling and poorly stifled whisperings.

“I think Jude likes Mister Nick’s tail waaaay more than you anyways Ollie, look at how happy she is!”

At her brother’s voice Judy looked towards the end of the bed to see Ollie and Ashes cradled next to Nick’s hind paws and mostly concealed under the (non-fox) blanket, only their faces and long ears were visible.

She had been so caught up with the sight of Nick holding little Cotton and her grooming for the fox that she had forgotten to search for the two kits that had woken her up!

“She still didn’t have to hog the whole thing…” Ollie pouted.

“But Mister Nick is happy too, see!” The buck ‘whispered’, as he cheerily pointed to the purring canine. “Don’t you want him to be happy?”

The speckled doe sighed, “Yeah… but it's soooo warm and fluffy…” By her voice, it was clear that Ollie was a bit disappointed to have been evicted from her comfortable spot underneath the foxtail blanket.

Judy couldn’t help but smile and roll her eyes at her two siblings’ ‘covert’ conversation about her. They had woken her up with their noisy voices, but she was far from angry at them. Although their situation was anything but normal, hearing Ashes and Ollie’s loud whispering brought a sense of normalcy to her life. 

It was something that Judy absolutely loved about them. 

...But that didn’t mean she was about to let them off the hook.

“I can hear you y'know.” The grey doe said nonchalantly while continuing her task of grooming Nick’s tail.

Judy gave a furtive glance at her siblings, she grinned slyly when she saw that they were both stiffened with surprise at being discovered. 

“H-how did you hear us?!” Both Ashes and Ollie asked in astonishment. They were ‘whispering’ afterall… 

_ Really?  _ Judy thought. 

The question didn’t really deserve an answer, so Judy gave them a response that only a bunny like her father would’ve gave,

“Well, with my ears of course!” She said with a goofy twang in her voice.

It was a classic rabbit joke that Stu Hopps had practically trademarked. Not a single Hopps kit had escaped hearing the seemingly endless dad jokes that their father would dish out. 

“Juuuudy…” Ollie said in annoyance while pulling her ears over her face.

“Okay, okay,” the grey doe relented, “But you deserved that, Your whispering was so loud that you woke me up.”

“Oh… Sorry, Jude.” Ashes said, realizing that they had indeed woken their older sister. 

The two kits both looked terribly contrite over their small mistake. 

This would not do for Judy. 

She wanted to tease them, certainly not make them feel like they had done something wrong.

“Hey now, you know I wouldn’t be mad over something like that,” The grey doe said encouragingly, “Now get over here you two.”

At Judy’s request the two kits sheepishly crawled over to Judy and sat in front of her, still looking quite guilty over waking her up.

Judy would have none of it.

“No, no, I said get over here.” She held out her arms to them and gestured for them to get closer. And as the kits neared, she pulled them both into a hug. 

The three rabbits held each other quietly for a moment. A pregnant pause filled the air around them before little Ashes began to speak,

“Jude,” The buck spoke softly, now pressed against her side.

“Yes, Ash?”

“We- we really missed you…” 

And with those words, it became much clearer why their behavior had suddenly become so downtrodden. 

Ashes’ voice was taut with strain. And in an instant his face went from apologetic to crestfallen. Both his and Ollie’s ears flopped against their backs as Judy held them so closely.

It was safe to say that there were still unresolved emotions rushing through each of the rabbits. And the familiar dad joke that Judy had just used inadvertently served to remind them of the family that they hadn’t seen or heard from since they ran away from the burrows.

Ashes had always been easy for Judy to read, and it was clear that this conversation could not wait any longer. They had yet to talk about what had happened to their family, and the kits deserved answers. 

But first Judy would offer them every bit of comfort she could.

“I missed you guys too… I’m so, so sorry… I haven’t been with you.”

Even with her talk with Nick the night before, Judy still regretted not being there for her family when they had needed her the most, especially these little ones.

Ollie was the next to speak up. She always tried to be as strong as her oldest sister, but right now her voice was timid and withdrawn, “Th- the wolves were so scary, Judy. I- I didn’t even know what to do-” 

Ollie’s voice choked up as the pain in her throat became too much to speak. The white doe could only press her face into her older sister’s side. Judy could feel the warm tears soak her clothes. It truly broke the grey doe’s heart to see them like this.

Judy stayed silent as she motioned the kits to sit down in her lap. With one kit clinging to each of her sides, and with their tiny paws clutching to her oh so very tightly, Judy held them firmly in her arms. 

Feeling their quivering bodies and their tight grips was so reminiscent to the grey doe. She imagined the way they held her was almost a parallel to how she had held onto Nick the night before:  _ as if for dear life. _

After a moment, Judy silently answered Ollie, “I know they were scary, Sweetie, but you three were so, so brave and so smart and you did the right thing… you were there for each other and I am so, so proud of you… You’re safe now, I won’t let them ever hurt you again.” 

Judy meant every word she said. 

She wouldn’t ever let those wolves have them, and if they ever showed their muzzles again, she would do everything she could to keep the kits safe! There would be no way she would allow them to hurt  _ her _ family ever again.

After a tearful minute, another question was timidly asked by Ashes.

“Judy,”

“Yes, Ash?”

“I-is it just us now?” the buck asked shakily. He tried to stay strong, but he couldn’t stop his lips from quivering and his tears from wetting his sister’s side.

Despite the two kits’ usually silly, carefree mannerisms, they weren’t stupid. They had been there, and they knew something bad had really happened to their family. And the fact that Judy had come here alone hadn’t escaped them.

But what was she supposed to say to them? That everyone else had died? That they wouldn’t see their momma or their daddy ever again? That Terry and Jess and all of their other brothers and sisters were gone? 

How was Judy supposed to respond to such a question? 

She desperately wanted to give them hope. To let them know everything would be ok, but as a painful lump grew in her own throat, the only words that could find their way out of her was an emotional and heartfelt,

“I’m so sorry, Ashie. I’m so sorry, Ollie, I- I’m so, so sorry.”

Judy wouldn’t have thought it possible, but their tiny paws gripped even harder to her at the news. They clinged on to her as if letting her go would mean they would lose her too.

Their weeping grew loud very quickly as the reality of what had happened hit them, but their weeping wasn’t alone. 

A third, much softer weepy voice could be found on the center of the fox. Little Cotton had been awake to hear the whole terrible conversation.

The sandy brown doe had yet to be noticed by any of her siblings.

“Th-they’re r-really gone? Daddy an-and momma?” She whispered to herself, tears now filling her own eyes.

Unlike her littermates taking refuge in the arms of their strong older sister, Cotton felt completely alone at that moment. Too shy and too sad to make her grieving known to her siblings, she buried herself underneath the fox’s paw. Silently she snivelled over the loss of her family, her tears unseen by any of her family.

Or so she thought.

The red paw that protectively covered her wouldn’t allow for such isolated sorrow. Swiftly and unexpectedly, Cotton was lifted up by sturdy, gentle paws and softly placed in front of Judy.

The grey doe hadn’t expected either Cotton or Nick to have been awake. From what she could tell, both were heavy sleepers. But that didn’t change the scene unfolding before her. As she was comforting Ashes and Ollie, a weepy Cotton was placed right before her by Nick’s large russet paws. 

And by the pitiful, teary expression on the little doe’s face, Judy knew Cotton had heard every bit of what had happened. Judy glanced up at the fox who had set the sandy brown doe next to her. For only a second, downhearted amethysts locked with concerned emeralds, and immediately she knew he had been awake for the exchange too. 

Breaking eye contact with the understanding fox, Judy immediately set her attention on her smallest sister. 

“Cotton sweetie, come here,” Judy coaxed, opening her arms as much as she could to accept the weeping kit.

Cotton truly didn’t want to be alone. And seeing the comforting arms of her older sister beckoning her, the sandy doe squeezed in between Ashes and Ollie and into Judy’s embrace. 

The kits would shed many tears, but they wouldn’t ever have to shed them alone. 

Not if Judy had anything to say about it.

When Judy had first discovered the terrible fate of clan Hopps, she had thought she was truly alone in her misery. 

There was no way she would ever allow any of her siblings to go through that same feeling of isolation.

If they needed to talk, she would lend them her ear. If they needed someone to hold, they could hold onto her with everything they had. And if they needed to weep an oceans worth of tears, she would shoulder every single drop.

_That’s what it means to be family._ The grey doe thought as she embraced her siblings. 

_ To  _ _ hold _ _ onto the ones you love no matter what…  _

And as she held onto her siblings, it came as a surprise to feel wiry, ruddy arms gently wrap around her and the kits, and even more so to see the tail she had groomed that morning cocoon around them protectively. 

Her heart skipped at the contact. Nick was sitting up behind her, his muzzle resting easily on top of her head and poking between her ears. She could feel the strength in his arms as he _held_ _all of them_ so securely _._

And then it occurred to Judy, just like he was holding them all now, he had  _ held _ her for hours the night before. 

Nick had seen her at her worst and he chose to embrace her.

He gave her his ears to listen, his body to hold, and his shoulder (or in his case, chest) to cry on. He had even licked away her tears and had carried her back into the den despite his injuries. 

Judy was overwhelmed. She couldn't help but wonder about the fox,

_ Slick… Am I … family to you? _

Her thoughts were answered by the tightening grip of his arms around her and the kits.

For the longest time they all just sat there like that. The kits clung to Judy while all four of the bunnies were concealed by the loving fox’s arms and tail. 

It was an environment that promised safety and love. One that told of a fox and a rabbit who would bear every tremble, every tear, and every sorrow that these kits could possibly give them. 

There are feelings that express more than words ever could. And the squeezing of Nick’s russet arms around the rabbits spoke of stability, care and endless love, while Judy’s firm hold told of a strength that would carry their burdens, and a devoted love that was just as endless as the fox’s.

It was so palpable that words weren’t needed. It wasn’t something they could even doubt, the way Judy and Nick held them made that impossible. Even though they had lost so much, the kits knew that  **They have a family.**

And Nick knew that his family would need time to heal. He had vowed to always be there for them.

_ No matter what. _

It was a promise that the fox had staked his whole being onto for the kits, and as he held Judy and the little bunnies in his arms, he knew that vow would never change. 

_ Because they are  _ _ all _ _ my family…  _

Just as quickly as he saw the kits as his family, so too had the fox begun to see Judy that way too. She was their sister and she loved each of them with all of her heart. And if he saw the kits as his family that was more than enough to think of her as family too, right? 

And after she had given him so much kindness, and compassion and hope and  _ trust, _ Nick couldn’t help but feel so close to the grey doe. 

She had sought to make amends after she had hurt him. Both in words and in actions she showed how good of a mammal she truly was. She had treated him with both gratitude and compassion. And more than both of those, she had given him her trust. 

His heart swelled at the thought. 

How could he not see her as family after that?

So it was decided in the fox’s mind,

_ Carrots is family… _

The fox smiled at the thought of his family growing by one more member.

It had only been three nights ago when he had discovered the kits, and between now and then Nick had shed off his chronic loneliness and had gained a whole family that he already cared for deeply. An unorthodox family of four rabbits and a fox, but a family all the same.

Nick only hoped that Judy really did feel the same way.

He had woken up from loud giggling that morning but had been too tired to bother getting up yet, not to mention he didn’t want to disturb the sleeping bunny cradled underneath his paw. So he had just laid there trying to fall back asleep. 

And that’s when he began to feel the most wonderful sensation from his tail. It took him a moment to realize it had been Judy grooming him, but when he pieced it together he had felt so pleased that she was doing that for him. It had made his heart beat ever so faster and a tired but contented smile form on his muzzle. 

Never had anyone else groomed his tail before her. 

Deep down, if Nick were being honest with himself, he may have tried to stop her. For foxes, the act of grooming another’s tail was reserved only for mates… It wasn’t something he should have let her do. He knew that… he really did, but her touch had brought him so much joy. It made him feel like he was actually close to another mammal again, another vector of loneliness vanquished by feather-light fingers. It was a power that neither of them knew that she had over him, and it had kept his mind far from stopping her. 

The most he had been able to do was purr his contentment, a far cry from putting an end to her form of affection. He was just too happy with her, she had shown him immeasurable kindness and compassion that he hadn’t believed other mammals could even possess.

And that elated feeling only intensified when he heard her softly asking (more to herself than really him) if she could call him family. She hadn’t known he was awake, but he couldn’t help but hope...

_ I hope she really meant it…  _

But that was a topic he could save for their late night talks they had planned to have after they put the kits to bed. 

For now he would simply hold onto  _ his _ family and do everything he could to give comfort and care to each one of them. 

They would get through this, and they would do it together.

-0-0-

**In a Clearing Many Miles From the Fox’s Den**

“Do you understand, Julius? What you have brought upon Sapper's soul?”

It was midday now, and Brute and Julius were alone at the moment. The rest of the pack had been dispersed to their usual duties and tasks. The Alpha and the Beta were the only two currently at the center of their newly formed encampment. 

Wolford in particular had been told to make himself very scarce at the moment by Brute. And although the wolf very much wanted to be present for this verbal conflict, it would do him well not to gain the ire of either Julius or Brute or both (all being a strong possibility if he had remained.)

Brute had just finished explaining in great detail what had happened and the terrible condition of the Omega’s body.

The rough and grizzled Alpha trained his eyes on the Beta, measuring the second in command up. Julius was unusually quiet as his eyes pierced through the solid black wolf before him. 

With an edge to his voice, the Alpha began to speak, “If I recall, you had agreed that this plan had merit, Brute.”

“It did have merit, but I cautioned that it was not worth the risk.”

“It still  _ does _ have merit and there was no risk.” Julius vehemently responded. 

“I know that you want to observe the Honor Hunt and return what little pride you think you can to the Omega. And Wolford desires to avenge his friend…”

Julius paused for a moment as he watched the Beta carefully, keeping tabs on his demeanor.

“...And I want Wolford to reach his potential. He has always been soft, and where you see tragedy… I see opportunity. This is how Wolford will finally step up and claim a true place in the pack. It appears that this situation will benefit all of us.”

Brute was rarely so speechless, although Julius was acquiescing to his demands for the Honor Hunt for the desecrator, it sounded as if the Alpha had his own underlying objectives that were for all the wrong reasons. 

Brute thought of Julius as his friend, but he couldn’t help but question the Alpha’s priorities. 

_ Does he not realize that the soul of a pack member is on the line? _

The large, grey Alpha gave a piercing gaze to the astonished Beta, “You look at me like I have violated some unspoken rule, Brute.”

It wasn’t just an observation. His careful watch guaranteed that the Beta did indeed have a problem… and Julius now had to make sure that his friend doesn’t stray away from what was best. Julius’ voice was piercing, and his hardened, steady stare never faltered.… 

The Alpha was issuing a challenge.

But this time was different.

Although he was caught off guard, Brute would not balk on this one. He would not employ his noncommittal hums and an aloof attitude, nor would he utilize tricks or cunning verbal traps. 

Brute would use the sharpest sword available. The cold, hard truth. 

His voice was strong and crisp as he gave his synopsis of the situation he had witnessed.

“You are the leader, Julius. And as leader you are required to do what is best for the  _ whole _ pack. When Sapper was slain, you did not grant the pack the right to carry back his body or give him his burial rites. Instead, you left him there so you could use the opportunity to force Wolford to step up. It was a worthy attempt to develop the pup’s potential, but the risk was too high!”

As Brute locked eyes with his superior he issued his verbal challenge, “By doing so, you had endangered the pack as a  _ whole _ . How can they trust a leader who will leave their souls to rot!?”

Julius growled at the accusation. Even he had to admit he was staggered by the straightforwardness of his 2nd in command. He had been expecting Brute to yield to his challenge or agree with him entirely.

The Alpha was flustered and suppressed the urge to bear his teeth at his oldest friend.

“You’re speaking out of term, Beta!”

“You issued the challenge and it was my right to accept it!” Brute shot back. 

Julius knew that Brute was entirely in line with pack customs… 

He would have to change his tactic.

A solemn look settled over the leader’s muzzle. If Brute wanted to face the challenge, then as the Alpha, Julius would defend his title. In his eyes, he had done no wrong, and Brute’s accusations were misled. It was his responsibility to reign in his inferior and make him see the error in his ways.

_ The truth then.  _ The Alpha internally concluded.

“Tell me Brute, what had happened to the Wolford clan, do you recall its demise, why it had fallen to pieces?”

Brute was taken aback by the question. That matter was distant history at this point. 

“...Infighting.” The black wolf answered brittly.

Brute strongly disliked that subject. It was a taboo for wolves to talk of another pack’s destruction, but Julius had always been one to bring that subject to light. He had even forced the renaming of poor Demas as a mockery of such a thing. That had been a questionable choice in his friend’s leadership, but not so concerning to warrant a challenge or rebuff.

“Correct.” Julius affirmed. “Disagreements led to distrust of their leadership. Distrust led to division, division gave way to infighting and infighting destroyed the pack’s bond.” 

The steel in Julius’ voice only hardened. “By the end of it, those who didn’t die in the fighting had gone their own way. And we both know what happens to wolves that stay alone for too long…”

His last statement hung in the air. Lone wolves were not a tasteful subject, and one Brute didn’t want to discuss. The fact that Demas had found their pack was nothing short of a saving grace for the pup. Even if it proved to be full of hardship and difficulty thanks to the choices of treatment by the pack leader.

“Where are you going with all of this!?” The Beta questioned, nonplussed and a bit disgusted at his friend for bringing up a taboo.

“A leader must be strong, Brute. They must be decisive and cunning and  _ ruthless _ when necessary. It was why I had renamed Demas to Wolford, and why Sapper had been demoted to the Omega when he had refused to follow that command. The name Wolford functioned as a constant reminder of what happens when one goes his own way… of how disobedience can only bring forth death.” 

With venom, Julius continued, “And Sapper had  _ immediately _ undermined  _ MY _ command when I had done that! His sentimentality and dissension could have single handedly sewn division in our pack.” 

Brute had always considered Julius too harsh ever since he had become the Alpha. With this revelation it was clear now why his friend had always looked at Sapper with such disdain: To Julius… Sapper had been a dissenter… One who had threatened to undermine his authority… a threat… 

He was beginning to grasp the Alpha’s feelings. And it was this unsettling disclosure of information that caused a deep worry within the Beta.

“You didn’t see Sapper as one of the pack?” Brute asked, dreading what the Alpha would say, but also desperately needing to know the answer.

“Sapper, _ lost _ that right when he endangered the unity of our group! He was no longer one of us. He had ignored leadership and discipline ever since Wolford had sought for entry. His death did nothing to hurt the pack! In fact it served to help it.”

It was difficult for Brute to keep his calm mask on as the anger built within him. The Beta had always seen his friend as a visionary, one who would do what was necessary for the pack… Sapper had been the Omega, the lowliest of positions. In a way he was even a punching bag for everyone else. A bit distasteful of a role, but Sapper was a member! He was a good wolf! HE WAS ONE OF THEM! 

How could his friend say otherwise?!

Julius continued his monologue unabated, “Wolford was soft, and this incident finally forced his paw to take initiative, it even forced him to confront me for permission to retrieve Sapper’s worthless hide.” 

A self satisfied grin took over the leader, “And he had done well. Unlike Sapper, Wolford submitted to his leader like a good soldier, and I even granted him his request because of it.” 

“And now, because of this desecrator,” Julius’ satisfied grin turned both jovial and wicked, “Wolford is embracing the pack even more so. Sapper’s death has truly turned out for the best.” 

The grey wolf paused to see if his closest friend was catching on to his  _ wonderful _ designs. 

He was met with an indifferent mask. Brute would not show Julius his true emotions towards this subject, it could only end poorly if he had.

It was terrifying to Brute in a way…  _ Have I really been so blind to this? _

He had no doubt that Julius did what he thought was best for the pack. But that was the horrifying aspect of the problem. The leader had shadow banned a member …Not just a simple demotion and a stern reprimand like he had initially thought… Julius had truly seen Sapper as an outsider… And now the leader was celebrating the fruits of Sapper’s terrible fate.

_ If Julius really hadn’t thought of Sapper as a pack member… then… oh no…  _

A terrible reality settled over the Beta… Sapper hadn’t been particularly skilled as a fighter. 

_ Wait… why did Julius put him on the frontline? _

Never had Sapper been given a frontline position like he had on the day of the attack… and from what he had heard, Julius had refused to allow the Omega to withdraw from his position even when he had already been injured… 

_ It was almost as if…  _

If Brute’s hunch was correct, it had terrible implications. He would have to figure out exactly what had happened in the frontal assault of the rabbit burrow. 

But if his hunch was right then… 

_ Then perhaps Sapper’s death wasn’t as accidental as I had thought. _

Brute and Julius had always clashed on leadership, but this was a new level of disagreement… potentially even murder, and at the very least abuse of power. This was something that Brute would have to discuss with his mate later to get her perspective on the situation. 

But for now, he would have to swallow his pride and get through this verbal conflict. They had already settled the matter of the Hunt, and he would not allow his rage to jeopardize his position or the hunt for the desecrator.

So, with his mask firmly in place, Brute hummed noncommittally.

“I suppose it was the best of choices, Julius.”

The Beta softened his stance and broke eye contact in submission to the Alpha. 

Julius was pleased easily by this, and with satisfaction he smiled at his friend’s submission. 

And only now did Brute see why:

_ Like a good soldier…  _

The thought sickened him as he wondered what Julius would have done if he had shown his true thoughts and feelings over the leader's reprehensible beliefs.

“I’m glad you see it my way, Brute.”

And just like that, the tension drained from the air around them. 

**-0-0-**

That night the pack was called together. 

Julius spared no expense in his speech for vengeance on the desecrator and reclaiming honor for their fallen comrade. 

The scarred, grey wolf had cared for neither of those objectives. However, with the cheers and ecstatic howls of the pack, Julius couldn’t help but feel pride at how his original plan had been sweetened by the mysterious desecrator. The leader was more than happy to give Sapper his “honor” back if it meant the unity and obedience of  _ his _ pack. 

“Tomorrow,” Julius began, “We will begin The Hunt for the desecrator. There will be no place to hide! There will be no place to run! And when we find them, we will give them what they deserve! There will be justice!”

Loud howls of agreement and excitement for the hunt could be heard from nearly every wolf in the pack. The noisy anticipation flowed throughout the whole encampment and escaped into the night air. 

But as Julius continued his speech to the group of cheering wolves, there were already cracks forming in his mighty pack. Even in the midst of what the leader saw as ultimate unity, there was  _ dissent _ brewing. 

A certain solid black wolf had been spending his day organizing his own plans to return Sapper’s honor, and they weren’t necessarily aimed at the desecrator.

_ Yes indeed, old friend… There will be justice. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter hopefully wont take so long, however I do have finals for this college semester next week... so no promises :( sorry!  
> On the plus side, I think I'm getting decent at writing longer chapters now, so I think most of my future chapters are going to be about this length.  
> Hope everyone is enjoying their day :)


	16. Realizations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick comes to realizations over certain feelings... Judy isn't too far behind. | Clouds are coming in and a storm is brewing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had finished my exams and am looking forward to a summer free from college. Hopefully I will be able to write more often! A complete Judy and Nick chapter :) Much fluff.

**Realizations**

From his den’s entrance, Nick gave a long stare out into the surrounding forest with his night vision. It looked to be very empty with the exception of the usual trees, brush and snow.

Unlike the night before when Judy had snuck out, Nick wanted to make sure that there wouldn’t be any possible dangers creeping in the woods before they were in the open. Luckily, it was a cold night, even more frigid than the night before when he had discovered Judy out here alone. Nick could even see that heavy clouds were beginning to quietly roll in.

_ It looks like there’s gonna be a storm tomorrow…  _ The fox observed, mentally storing away the possibility of a white-out for later.

With the weather how it was, It was highly doubtful that any other predators would be on the prowl, especially if a snowstorm was likely to blow in the next day.

“Ok Carrots, the coast is clear.” Nick whispered to the bunny as he limped outside of the concealed hollow.

Following behind the fox, Judy’s long, black tipped ears could be seen poking out of the den behind him. With her super bunny hearing, she was doing her part in scanning for other mammals that could be out at this hour. It only took her a second to conclude the same as Nick. She followed him outside of  _ their _ home.

_ Home… with Nick.  _ She smiled at the fox she was tailing.

This fox had opened up his home and his heart to her and the kits. 

It wasn’t a small thing. They had lost their home and their family, it was an unspeakable tragedy that panged at her heart. But so far this fox had been there for her through it. 

She had wounded him and he had returned it with kindness. 

To Judy, this fox was a lone candle burning in a world of darkness. He provided that small amount of light that gave her hope for the future. He was a rare kind of mammal, a type that she hadn’t seen outside of her own family ever. It did more than intrigue her, she found herself being pulled along by his unusual behavior. Not unlike a moth to a flame, she felt herself drawn to him.

She followed his footprints. This was the first time they had been alone since her breakdown last night. Since he had held her so comfortably in her sorrow. A small smile formed on her lips, Judy was ready to get to know the heart of this fox just a little better. 

_ What other surprises do you have for me, Slick?  _ The rabbit wondered as she trailed him.

She didn’t know what could come out of these talks, but she was ready to find out. This fox was the most surprising mammal she had ever crossed in her whole life, and she found herself looking forward to sharing his company and discovering more about him.

It only took a second for Nick to find a preferable spot for them to sit down for their talk. In proper lazy fox fashion, he padded to the closest tree before leaning against it and slumping down to sit at its base. Even if his leg didn’t ache, it was unlikely he would have traveled much further.

Nick didn’t hesitate to gesture for Judy to sit next to him. He patted the snow at his side in high hopes that she would take her seat against his side. If he was being honest, Nick very much desired to feel her lean against him, it both satisfied his need to make sure she was comfortable and stave off any dregs of loneliness from his mind. 

But sitting next to the fox wasn’t exactly Judy’s plan. 

It had been a long day, and Judy really wanted to feel a level of emotional support… His side would have been comforting, but she really dreaded the thought of sitting in the frigid, heat-sapping powder.

That morning when she had broken the news to the kits of what happened to their clan, Nick had sat right behind her and pulled her and the kits in his lap. She had felt the warmth and strength he lent to them when he wrapped his arms around her. It had been what they had all needed: Stability. 

He had kept her anchored as she had comforted the kits. It had been those protective arms, that warm tail, and the scent of violets that had kept her from being overwhelmed by her sorrow… 

As she had held and supported the weeping kits… he had held and supported her. 

To Judy it was clear: when he held her, she knew that everything would be ok. 

It wasn’t so simple that her problems would just disappear, but for at least those small moments, she could melt into his arms and forget about her hardships. His warm body reminded her she wasn’t alone, his firm grip told her she was safe, and the scent of violets whispered that she was home. 

When he held her in his lap this morning, her feelings of guilt and fear slowly melted away. 

So, Judy asked herself,

_ Why not sit like that again?..  _

Wordlessly, she ignored Nick’s gestures to sit next to him. Her face turned a tinge red as she climbed into the fox’s lap. 

He had jumped for only a second. He was startled by her actions, but found himself in silent agreement with her. He hadn’t been close to anyone for years, and the warmth he felt in his chest strengthened. 

_ Family…  _ His brain told him. 

She was close to him because she had given him trust. It baffled him how this could be, but he couldn’t dare complain or question it.

Judy, comfortably settling in his lap, leaned back against his chest. She felt him rest his muzzle between her ears, pushing the appendages slightly to the side like parting grass. She giggled lightly as she looked up to see his black nose above her. She smiled at the tiny upturn she spotted on his muzzle. He was smiling. And soon she found herself happier as his fluffy tail settled in her lap, and his wiry arms wrapped around her midsection. 

The word comfortable couldn’t give the scene justice. 

To Judy, this fox was the only thing made out of warmth and goodness in the entire forest (save for the upset kits they had coaxed to sleep earlier.) His warm embrace had chased away the sorrow that dwelt within her and replaced them with a moment of true rest. 

The sorrow would come back, undoubtedly. But for now, she could have the moment. She could relax and simply just exist without the worries of the future or the pains of the past.

And in her moment of relaxed peace, Judy reached for the tail that had settled in her lap and began grooming it.

To Judy, it felt so natural to groom him; it was nice to run her fingers through his fluffy winter coat. It wasn’t anything like the shorter hair of a bunny, and so she had found intrigue in the way it felt on her skin. But even more than that, she knew it relaxed him.

In her heart, she hoped that this small gesture communicated just how much he meant to her for his actions. It was her hope that he would understand her gesture, that he would know the extent of how much he had relieved and helped her in the worst days of her life. 

She wanted him to feel just as good, and just as comfortable as he made her feel… 

It was a lot to ask without words, but on some level her message went through.

She reveled in the way his happy purrs rumbled through her body. She made him feel content, at least in the moment. Her beaming smile couldn’t be hidden, nor could she hide her own soft chirring tooth purrs created from his happy, relaxed purring.

Indeed, the fox could agree that both happy and relaxed were excellent descriptors that fit very well in the moment. 

However, those weren't the only emotions that were flowing within the tod.

Nick’s contentedness was certain, but it was accompanied with the strangest feeling bubbling deep within him. 

Rising in his chest were complicated emotions he couldn’t name, but were quickly making themselves known by tightening his chest and nipping at the corners of his mind.

_ Carrots… What are you doing to me? _ Nick thought as his mind blurred by her soft touch.

Years alone did things to a mammal. Some would have gone crazy, some would have become bitter and withdrawn, and some… some would have ended it. They were all thoughts that had crossed Nick’s mind.

But Nick… Nick had grown desperately lonely. He hadn’t felt what it was like to be this close to another in a long time… and of all things, she was grooming his tail… 

This was twice now in the same day that she had done something that  _ only _ a fox’s mate had the privilege of doing. 

True, that morning his sleepy haze and little Cotton on his chest had a lot to do with why he hadn’t stopped her. (And totally not because of the bliss she had been giving the contact-starved fox.)

But what was his excuse for letting her groom him now? 

That it felt nice to be cared for after being alone for so many years? 

That the grey bunny had given him her trust and deserved to do what made her feel comfortable? 

That the scent of fresh rain coming from the doe was so overwhelmingly pleasant that he couldn’t think straight?

Yes, yes, and yes. Those were all true… 

But were they  _ the _ reason Nick hadn’t stopped her?

He honestly couldn’t place why he allowed her to groom his tail. 

But he could place how he felt about it. 

_ It feels right… _ His heart cried out. 

It felt right for her scent to fill his nostrils, it felt right for his muzzle to rest between her ears, and it felt right to have her pressed against his chest. 

Everything within the fox agreed with that sentiment. 

Everything about her just felt right to him, and that feeling told him to let her pet his tail. In fact, just thinking about how right she felt with him made his heart beat a little faster and his ears blush wildly.

_ Carrots, why do you make my chest hurt like this…  _

She was powerful. She didn’t need a spear to make him hurt. He found himself unable to stop her, unable to pull away from her.

But even if he was able to pull her away, the fox realized that it wouldn’t have changed anything… because… 

_ I don’t want to stop her…  _ He didn’t want to pull her away, even if she made his chest painfully tighten when she touched him _.  _ The thought was unbearable

He thought about the doe in his arms and all that had happened in the previous days… 

_ Why do I feel like this? Is it because we’re kindred spirits? _ Nick internally asked.

It was a good question that deserved a deeper look.

He thought back to the night before. When he had made her and the kits carrot soup, she had earnestly embraced him. She had hugged him, a thank you that couldn’t be expressed in words but only in the tight confines of her arms. He didn’t know why the meal meant so much to her, but it had been a turning point in how he saw the doe. She had dropped her wariness of him, something no mammal outside of the four bunnies had ever done. 

Nick had felt both her gratitude and despair in her hug. It had been too familiar, like when he and his father had held each other after mom died. They were the  _ same… _ and she had just begun to let him in. 

They were two mammals kicked around by life and thrown into the seas of hopelessness and loneliness. And when she had embraced him then… it was like they had anchored each other. His loneliness was driven back, and her despair abated.

It was all true, but even so, that didn’t feel like the whole picture. It felt comforting to have someone to share your sorrows with… but how would that be what was making his heart clutch like it was now? He  _ knew _ that wasn’t all they shared.

So, as Nick and Judy both enjoyed their companionable silence (and with Judy still happily grooming his tail,) Nick descended into his thoughts to figure out what exactly it was that made her feel so  _ right  _ with him.

He started with something that made him smirk,

_ It feels so right to tease her… and for her to tease me…  _

That was clear. She enjoyed messing with him and he enjoyed messing with her. He silently chuckled at the thought of making her ears blush. And when she had started calling him Slick for being just the opposite, he found that he really, really liked it.

He sighed contentedly at the next thought,

_...And I trust her… and she trusts me. _

That was definitely an important thing to the tod. They shared a mutual trust. 

He could see her love and dedication to her family, even so much as to track them down and attack a fox! Granted, an innocent fox, but she had no reason to think that, and anyone who cared for the kits as much as their sister did was trustworthy in his book. 

And she had trusted him. Even though he was a fox, when Cotton vouched for him and it had become clear that he had helped her siblings, she had begun to make amends. 

The throbbing in his arm and leg told him it was admittedly a rough start, but now- well, now she was sitting contentedly in his lap and grooming his tail… 

If that wasn’t trust, then what was?

_ What else?  _ He asked.

His heart swelled at the next thought to surface,

_ And the way she holds them…  _

They had both found hope and joy in the three kits that were resting in the den. To both of them, those kits meant everything. And both Nick and Judy found themselves totally and irrevocably willing to do anything to keep them safe. It was their shared goal, to protect the ones that they loved.

His ears and cheeks reddened at the next thought

_ And the way she lets me hold her…  _

He refocused on her tender paws running through his fur as well as the warmth of her body against his chest. They had both happily and willingly shared emotional and physical solace with each other.

Somewhere along the way, they looked to each other for comfort. 

She had cleaned and bandaged him and had continued treating him with so much care since, and he had made himself someone to lean on through her sorrows. 

They both found comfort in each other, and naturally that comfort was found snuggled up against his chest and with her in his arms.

All of this made him flush as the familiar words of his father resounded in his mind,

_ ‘Kindred spirits are rare Nicky, if you ever find one don't ever let ‘em go.’ _

The thought of ever willingly giving up the doe in his arms sickened him.

_ Never!… I’ll never let her go then!  _

He felt so truly happy with her. This rabbit made him feel like he had found a piece of himself that he hadn’t even known was missing!

Forgetting about her now was an impossibility and casting her aside was unthinkable.

From when she first helped carry him back to his den, to when she had taken care of his wounds, and to now when she climbed in his lap, it was wonderful, it was a sense of belonging, it was  _ Family! _

This rabbit had given him trust, an important piece of him that had been destroyed for so long, and now she had restored it! Nick gave a small smile, she trusted him and she loved the kits, and that was why she was family… 

But he knew that as much as that stirred his heart… that wasn’t everything. 

He had a family before, and even then he had never felt what he was feeling now. There was more to this rabbit doe than that.

So he delved further into that facet of his emotions.

The strange pain in his chest spoke of how special she was; how this rabbit was near and dear to his heart in a way that was so similar to the kits or his parents… and yet so entirely different.

She made him feel ecstatic, wonderful, as if he was on top of the world!

He gripped her a little more tightly in his arms as he thought of this wonderful bunny. Happily, and without a care in the world, he dug the tip of his nose into the fur on her head and breathed in her wonderful fragrance. 

Her scent made him tremble lightly and he couldn’t suppress a happy whine at the aroma of fresh rain from her head.

_ My Carrots. _

He was lost in a daze that was Judy. Never had he felt so content, so happy so-

“N-Nick? Are you ok?” The grey doe tentatively asked the fox who was sniffing her head. 

So embarrassed.

Her paws had stopped their grooming, and the intoxicating feeling Nick had evaporated almost instantly, easily replaced with shock and embarrassment.

_ Karma, What… what is wrong with me! Did I really just scent her?! _

He had meant only to inquire what he felt for the doe grooming his tail, and he had ended up so happy and satisfied that he had blatantly drunk in her fragrance.

There weren’t many options available to answer Judy without feeling a bit shameful at his act, so he decided to answer from the heart.

“Er, sorry Carrots!.. I didn’t mean to be weird, i-it’s a fox thing! I’m just really happy, I guess…”

It was all true. He was sorry, he was being weird, it was a fox thing, and he was very,  _ very _ happy with her. 

But he was neglecting the  _ whole _ truth.

Nick was mortified at his behavior... he had just scented her! (And quite passionately.) 

It was common for foxes to get the scent of those they cared for, but he wasn’t merely trying to get her scent- he was  _ scenting _ her: memorizing her aroma and keeping it for safekeeping. And now that he had it, he would never forget it.

What really bothered Nick was that scenting was a behavior that foxes would exclusively use for their children… or for prospective mates… 

And come to think of it… hadn’t he already committed her scent down when she had carried him back to the den yesterday? ...And nearly every time she had been in his arms?

This hadn’t been an isolated incident… The fox had already done this several times before.

Nick’s mind was in chaos at the realization of his behavior, 

_ What are you doing! She’s a rabbit! You shouldn’t be thinking about her like that!!! And now you just weirded her out and she’ll want to lea- _

“Ah, there’s the Slick-talker I know.” There was playful sarcasm in her voice, and it was followed by a happy giggle at his apology and honest answer. 

Judy relaxed against his chest again, her paws continued their happy task of grooming. It was clear that Judy wasn’t the least bit bothered or creeped out by the fox smelling her fur.

_ She’s… not angry? _

Nick was both perplexed and relieved by her easy reply. His mind relaxed at her playful words, but his instincts had other ideas. With the relief from her answer also came a spike in his heart rate and a longing pain to ignite in his chest.

_ Slick-talker? She’s… she’s teasing me?  _

He loved that…. She could tease him just as much and maybe even more than he could tease her, and that was just one more part of this bunny that made her interesting to him. 

But that also presented a huge problem for the tod. It made him want to dig his nose back into her fur and begin scenting her again. It was an urge that he had to physically fight against.

_ What… What are you doing to me, Carrots?! _

His father NEVER mentioned that a kindred spirit would cause his chest to clench or his heart to race! The fox felt like he was all over the place, and his heart hurt for something that it had never even felt before!

He knew that kindred spirits could quickly become the closest of friends, but they didn’t cause this mixture of emotional bliss and turmoil!

He felt as if his heart had a vice around it, and yet at the same time it felt so at ease.

_ Why? Why is she making me feel this way!? Dad said that would only happen when I imprint on a vix- _

_ Oh no…  _

A snippet of an old conversation bubbled up to the surface of Nick’s mind:

-0-0-

A young teen fox stood next to an old sewing table watching his father stitch together a new garment. The older fox was beginning work on a nice green cloak for his teen son, but that wasn’t what the younger fox was interested in. 

No, young Nick had much more pressing matters on his mind.

“But how will I know when I find the right one, dad?” 

The older fox laughed heartily at the question. Nick had been badgering him about vixens ever since he had hit his growth spurt and John had given the tod ‘the talk’ about finding a mate when he was older. 

Ever since, the young fox has asked an unending amount of questions relating to girls and love and what to do and what to think and what to say! 

John Wilde had been patient through it all. If his son wanted to talk about love and vixens, he would oblige.

“Well Nicky, If you’re anythin’ like your ol’ dad you’ll be foolish enough to imprint on the first vixen you meet, and probably within the first week too!” 

John Wilde gave a big chuckle before fondly sighing at the thought of how he had met his own mate. 

He gave a wide smile to his son, “Best thing that ever happened to me.”

“But dad that doesn’t answer the question!” The young teen said a bit agitatedly, “How will I know if I found the right girl?! 

“Weren’t ya listening, Nicky? I did answer your question.” A sly smile was on the older fox’s muzzle. “That’s what love is son,  the best thing that ever happened to this old fox .”

John reminisced for a moment before speaking again, 

“You an’ your mom are the best things that’ve ever happened to this ol’ reynard, ya know. And when you meet that special vixen you’ll know she’s the one because she’ll be so special that she’ll turn your life upside down.” 

“Why, when I met your mom I- hey don't roll your eyes son, I’m givin’ ya excellent Wilde family advice!” 

The older fox continued undeterred, explaining love to his son, 

“When I met your mom it was fun to mess with her, but it felt even better when she would mess back. It made me feel happy, ya know?” 

John looked at his son to see if there was any understanding. Of course, he was met with that anxious and confused look only a young teen thinking about love would have.

So the older fox pressed on with his speech,

“But after a little while, when she would tease me back, it made me hurt all over, and at the same time it made me feel like I was on top of the world! An’ then I started missin’ and wantin’ things I’d never even thought about before… and it was all ‘cause of her.” 

Having already put down his stitch work, the older fox placed a caring paw on his son’s shoulder,

“And you know what, Nicky?” 

“Wh-what?” The young tod asked, completely enthralled by his father’s speech.

“It’ll be the same for you, and it’ll be the  _ best _ thing that ever happened to you.” 

And the spell was broken.

“Daaad, that’s so mushy! Th-that’s not how it works!” The young teen fox complained while blushing at the thought of finding the right one in such a manner. 

_ That’s not how love works!  _ ... _ Right _ ? That anxious, uncertain confusion that hallmarked a young teen was palpable on the fox.

The older reynard laughed at his boy before ruffling his head fur with his paw. 

John knew that when love hit his boy it would be like a wrecking ball. Life was too crazy, chaotic, and well… short in this cruel world. When that mammal shows up in your life you hold onto them for dear life almost as soon as you get them. Imprinting was an instinctual thing, and many a times the soul just knew who it wanted.

“You’ll see what I mean one day, Nicky. Afterall… you’re just like your old man.”

-0-0-

If John Wilde was watching from above, Nick knew the old tod would be chuckling at his son’s expense.

Nick had imprinted on the first female he’d met, and within the first week… 

_ Dammit dad, you always had to know everything didn’t you…  _

Nick cursed at the prophetic words of his deceased father… The poor tod really was just like him.

The only problem was, Nick’s ‘vixen’ was a rabbit. And although he couldn’t say that made her any less attractive to him… or… 

_ any less beautiful or funny or kind or compassionate…  _ He thought.

He still knew one thing,

_...She wouldn’t want a fox…  _

And that tore at his soul.

Somewhere along the way he had been stupid enough to have imprinted on her. 

Perhaps it was when she had been carrying him back after injuring him? He had become so enamored with her familiar fresh rain scent then…

Or perhaps it had been when he woke up to her tending to his wounds? She had been both compassionate to him and had teased him to embarrassment.

Maybe it had been when she had so happily eaten the meal he had prepared for her last night? He had felt so proud to have provided for her. 

Could it have even been last night when he had comforted her and licked away her tears? He had just wanted to take care of her so much then, and she had clung to him so strongly.

Or maybe this morning when he held her and the kits so tightly in his arms? By then, he recognized her as family, someone to care of and be there for.

Whatever the case, he had indeed imprinted on her. Nick hardly knew the rabbit and he had emotionally bonded with her in an almost irreversible way. 

He had done something ridiculously dangerous without even realizing it.

Imprinting was a bond so important to a fox that it almost always ensured a lifelong relationship… when it was reciprocated… If it was reciprocated.

_ She’s a rabbit… Karma, why did you go and do that you stupid fox? _

It was understandable why he would’ve bonded to her. She had taken away the loneliness, and had replaced it with trust and kindness and smiles and purrs and- 

_ Karma, I’m in deep. _

Nick had put himself in quite the predicament.

Defeatism was beginning to ingrain within him. He had attached himself to her in a way that he knew she wouldn’t want… 

And when she rejected him, and yes, in Nick’s mind she would, he wouldn’t emotionally recover. 

_ If she knew…  _

It would be over. 

She wouldn’t look at him the same way and she would leave and she would take the kits… and-

_ I’ll be alone again.  _ He wilted at the thought.

He would be back where he was before the kits… His heart ached at that prospect.

And for what? 

Because he couldn’t keep his emotions in check? Because she had given him her trust and had made him feel so happy?

_ Karma, I’d…  _

The thought of losing them all sickened him, and all of a sudden the fox didn’t feel so on top of the world. 

But even feeling so devastated by the possibilities, even with that terrible and great revelation, Nick couldn’t find the power to pull his tail away from her paws, and he couldn’t dare move her from his lap.

But above all he couldn’t unwrap his arms from her. The fear of losing her and the kits only made him tighten his grip.

_ Judy I- I Never… I don’t ever want to let you go… you’re...  _

The words of his father echoed in his restless thoughts… 

_ …the best thing… that’s ever happened to me…  _

A lone tear ran down his cheek before soaking into his fur. He had finally figured out some of his more complex emotions, and now he wished for the ignorance that let him so happily hold the doe without the dread of impending rejection.

_ Karma, why did I have to go and mess up a good thing? _

In a strange irony, while the fox was wallowing in his inner turmoil, Judy was in bliss. 

To her, It wasn’t so strange that the fox had sniffed at her. 

She, herself, had gained so much comfort from the flowery, familiar scent of the fox, and she couldn’t help but wonder what about her smell made him elicit such a happy noise. 

Her heart skipped at the thought of him feeling so happy because of her.

This fox had been so full of surprises, and she couldn’t stop herself from pondering what he had meant when he said sniffing her was a ‘fox thing.’

She very much wanted to unravel that mystery.

_ Is it like when he licked away my tears?  _ Her mind hoped there was something more to it.

Last night, she had been surprised when he’d licked the tracks of tears from her cheeks, but that initial shock was replaced by profound happiness. The fox had been so earnest in what he was doing, and although she didn’t know what the gesture had meant to him, she could feel how seriously he took it.

Judy had deduced that he had either been offering her or promising her something. She didn’t know what, but it held a significance, and her heart told her how amazingly rare that a fox was doing something like that for a bunny. 

She couldn’t help but wonder if smelling her like that, if this ‘fox thing,’ had something more to it too.

Her mind focused back on his ‘promise’ when he had licked away her tears. He had been so passionate and caring to her.

And Serendipity, the happy, almost drunken look he gave her when she had reciprocated and licked his cheeks and muzzle… She had enjoyed that dopey, intoxicated look so much… It was clear that she had gotten to him by the way he had melted into her paws… 

But he had gotten to her first when he held her face in his paws. And that memory was what really took control of her mind.

He had held her face so delicately, so… lovingly.

And before he had begun licking at her tears, when she had seen his muzzle coming closer to her she had hoped, even desired something from him so much that she had leaned in close to his muzzle… 

_ What was it that I wanted from him last night? _

It was a question that merited an internal search…

But it was an internal search that would have to wait. Judy’s ears perked at the light sound of sniveling coming form nearby.

A small voice, distraught and sad, cut through their peaceful silence,

“J-Juju, M-mister Nick?” 

Cotton, teary eyed and oh so very upset, was calling for them from the entrance of their den. 

At her little voice all other thoughts from both the rabbit and the fox ceased.

Swiftly, both mammals rushed over to the entrance.

“Cotton, sweetie, what’s wrong!” Judy asked worriedly for her sister.

The grey doe wasted no time in sweeping the diminutive kit into her arms and resting her against her chest.

With tears flowing from her golden eyes and her face already pressed into her older sister’s should, Cotton eked out a sad, choked response “A- Ashie had a nightmare!” 

In a blur of red and grey both Judy and Nick rushed back in the den.

Judy, with little Cotton in her arms, was the first to barrel in from the entrance, and Nick, still limping from his sore leg, was right on her heels.

The glow of the fire painted a clear, but very sad picture. 

In the amber lighting, Ollie could be seen hugging her brother as tightly as she could. Little Ashes sobbed uncontrollably against her shoulder, his weeping was absolutely heart wrenching to listen to. 

...His tears were accompanied by shaking and the most pitiful cries for a mother that would no longer come to soothe him. 

“M-momma…P-please! I want momma!” The poor buck shakily cried.

That morning had been hard enough as it was, but it looked as if the world wasn’t done trampling on the poor buck’s spirit. 

A dream filled with frightening howls and terrified screams haunted his sleep, and desperately he wanted the comfort of his mother. She was the rabbit who could always console the poor buck and rock him back to sleep when he would startle awake.

He had called for her lightly at first, she had always been good about keeping an ear for them even at night. She hadn’t come to him. His bleary tired eyes had looked around the den to see where she was, but this wasn’t his part of the warren. It wasn’t the warren at all, and soon the memories of what happened to their warren and their sister’s bad news remind him that his mother wasn’t coming to hold him ever again.

Truly, little Ollie did her best to help her brother, and just how Judy held them this morning she held him now. 

But she was barely able to hold her own tears back, and her efforts just weren’t enough to smother Ashie's whimpers or quell his shaking. 

Her brother needed more help than she could provide.

And that help came when Judy, still holding Cotton, crawled on the bed next to her and Ashes. The grey doe didn’t hesitate to pull the buck into her lap, just like she had done that morning.

“Ash, Ashie, it's okay sweetie,” She gently cooed. She held him in one arm and Cotton in the other, “Hey, hey, it's gonna be okay, Ashie, it was only a bad dream.”

  
  


“No! No, no no!” His voice was frantic and pained and choked with tears, “I-it wasn’t a bad dream it r-really happened, Judy! It really h-happened!”

He trembled and choked and gasped for breath as the painful lump in his throat made it impossible to speak.

Judy’s heart broke at his words, she was at a loss. 

On her first night searching for them she had dreamt of her family screaming in fear and pain, of wolves attacking, and even an evil fox from years past trying to eat her… and she just told him it was  _ only _ a bad dream. If there was one thing she knew about life scarring incidents, sometimes they didn’t just bother you when you were awake.

This poor kit had just relived that traumatizing experience, and right now he was falling apart and needed his family to hold him up and be there for him.

But there simply weren’t words she could say that would ease the pain, she could only hold him and Cotton, while little Ollie pressed her face into Judy’s side. It wasn’t much, but she would give all she could to the little buck.

Nick for his part wasn’t just idly standing by.

The tod knew he needed to approach this the right way to make this better for the kits and for the grey doe who was trying her best to hold them together. 

But how? What could he do?

He looked around his den as he thought. His eyes settled on his sewing table and a familiar tinge of red caught his eye.

It was the bandana his mother had stitched together for him, the one he held so near and dear to his heart because it reminded him of his parents.

_ The kit wants his mom _ … 

The fox knew that pain, understood it inside and out. 

It was a sorrow that he memorized well:

It was the sting in your chest for someone who you’d never lay your eyes on again. 

It was the ache deep within because you wouldn’t feel their claws scritch behind your ears, or smell their scent when they hugged you close.

…It was the prick in your heart knowing you wouldn’t hear the loving voice that had softly sung  _ lullabies _ to her young tod when he couldn’t sleep as a kit…

The fox picked up the bandana from the table and gave it a strong squeeze. What he would do to feel those things again.

A tear slid down his cheek as he thought about his most treasured memories, and the grief-stricken kit going through the same loss. 

A sad smile crossed his muzzle.

_ Thanks mom, I think you just told me how I can help… I can always count on you. _

The fox pocketed the beloved bandana before turning his attention back to the bunnies. 

Softly, he padded to the bed and climbed behind the four. And just like that morning the fox’s arms and tail made themselves known to the rabbits. Gently, they enveloped the bunnies in their firm, loving hold as he slid them closer to him. 

Now holding Judy and the kits securely, Nick dipped his muzzle close to Ashie’s ears. 

Judy had been correct in her thinking, there weren’t right words for this… but there was the familiar tune that his mother would sing to him when he was young. 

The same tune he had hummed so happily after the kits and he had enjoyed their first full day with him.

Compelled, the fox quietly began to sing to the upset rabbits,

_ “The other night dear, as I lay sleeping _

_ I dreamt I held you in my arms. _

_ And now that you're here, my dreams are waking, _

_ And I will keep you from all harm.” _

The weeping began to quiet down as the bunnies listened to the soft, tender voice of the fox. There was raw emotion in his song, and an earnestness in his voice that told them his words were true. 

Nick could feel Ollie wipe her own tears dry against his tail, and little Cotton gripped one of his arms with her tiny paws. Judy quietly petted Ashes’ ears and slightly rocked back and forth as he began to quieten down. 

The song soothed the grey buck, not so different from what his mother would sing to him, and Judy’s rocking felt so similar to when Bonnie Hopps would lull him back to bed. The song made him feel safe, and calm and…  _ loved _ by the fox and his sister. 

Ashes, as well as all of his sisters, tuned in to every word the fox sang,

_ “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, _

_ You make me happy when skies are gray. _

_ You'll never know dear, how much I  _ _ love _ _ you _

_ Please don't take my sunshine away.” _

Judy’s ears reddened at the lyrics, she believed every word this fox sang. She couldn’t think otherwise, not with how he held onto her and the kits like he was holding onto his whole world. 

And indeed, that was the case. To Nick, these kits are  _ his _ whole world. They are  _ his _ sunshine, and without them and this grey doe that popped into his life, he would feel as if the dark loneliness he had lived in would come back to swallow him whole. 

They are  _ his _ sunshine, the light that had brightened his dark life. And he loved them for it.

_ “I'll always  _ _ love _ _ you, and make you happy, _

_ I'll pick you up when you've fallen down. _

_ You turn the sky blue when it is raining, _

_ You always keep the sunshine around.” _

  
  


I’ll  _ always love you,  _ The fox repeated in his mind _.  _

_ I’ll never let you go, I promise.  _

His words were utterly sincere. He would do everything in his power to love them, to make them happy, and to always pick them up when they fall. He knew now why his mom would always sing this to him as a kit, there truly was no love like one for your family. And although he knew he could never replace their family, he would love them like they were his own.

_ No matter what.  _ He vowed as he continued singing to the rabbits,

_ “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, _

_ You make me happy when skies are gray. _

_ You'll never know dear, how much I  _ _ love _ _ you, _

_ Please don't take my sunshine away.” _

Whether it was Judy’s rocking and ear rubs or Nick’s soft singing, Ashes’ eyes grew heavy. He was exhausted from his tears, and he felt safe in Judy’s arms and so  _ loved  _ by the mammals around him.

By the end of the song he was asleep once more, unconsciously clinging to Judy.

Little Ollie also was on the verge of sleep, and Cotton was looking tired too. It appeared Nick and Judy wouldn’t have much of a chance to talk tonight, afterall. The kits needed them, and by no means would they leave them alone after that.

“I think it's time somebunnies go back to bed.” The fox said very softly, careful not to wake up the finally relaxed buck.

It took a moment for everyone to get sorted out, but they delicately found their sleeping positions for the night. 

Nick himself would still have to sleep on his back because of the awkward placement of his sore wounds. Judy managed to untangle little Ashes from her body without waking him, and allowed the buck to sleep at Nick’s side with Ollie, both tucked securely underneath their favorite foxtail ‘blanket.’ (And this time Judy wouldn’t unconsciously steal the warm, fluffy appendage from them in her sleep.) 

Judy smiled at the two sleeping kits wrapped securely by Nick’s tail before her attention was turned to the quiet voice of her youngest sister.

Cotton had sleepily crawled up to Nick’s unhurt shoulder. She looked very tired, but she apparently very much wanted to talk to the fox before she went to sleep.

“Mister Nick?” Her voice was small, but hopeful.

Nick angled his head slightly to look at the rabbit sitting at his uninjured shoulder, and gave her a little smile,

“Hey Cottontail,” He whispered affectionately, looking at her golden eyes.

At his voice, the sandy brown doe crawled up a little closer to the fox until she was underneath his muzzle. With little arms, she hugged the side of his neck. 

Nick could feel her tiny paws squeeze him before he heard the little kit’s voice,

“I love you, Mister Nick.” Cotton said sleepily, as she laid comfortably in the nook underneath his jaw. 

And there it was. Another clench in his heart… And were those tears in his eyes?

When was the last time he had heard those words?

He purred lightly at the kit, before answering back,

“I love you too, Cottontail, I love you so very much.”

The sandy kit's voice was even quieter this time as sleep began to take her,

“And Ollie?”

“I love Ollie very much too,” He answered, choking up with emotion.

“And Ashie?” 

“Yes, I love Ashie too.”

Her voice was almost entirely drowned with sleep now, but the kit had just enough power to ask one more question.

Very quietly, even just a light whisper, Cotton asked,

“...And Judy?”

His tears flowed a bit more as that question particularly stung him. He had imprinted on the grey doe, and after imprinting, love would be inevitable. He could already feel his affections for the grey doe strengthen at every amazing word and action she would do. It pained him how he knew Judy wouldn’t possibly feel the same way for a fox.

Still, he had to tell the truth.

He would never lie to little Cotton, and his emotions dictated his response.

So very quietly he whispered to the brown doe,

“Yes, I love Judy too, Cotton.” 

And with those soft words from the fox, Cotton drifted to sleep, peacefully clinging to the cream colored fur underneath the fox’s muzzle.

_ Karma, why do you have to be so cruel to me?  _ Nick internally asked the fox deity.

But perhaps Karma wasn’t being as cruel as the fox thought.

The conversation with Cotton had been so quiet that it would have been impossible to hear… or at least that would’ve been the case if it had been anyone other than Judy. 

For her hearing, their conversation was crystal clear.

Judy marveled at his words.

_ He loves me? _

Her heart swelled at the adorable and heartfelt confessions of love for the kits, but she hadn’t expected him to include her on that list too.

She had already suspected that Nick had seen her as family too, and hearing those words of love only made her believe it even firmer. She knew for sure now that he saw her as family!

_ So full of surprises, Slick.  _

She smiled at the fox. Just like when he said he loved the kits, his feelings had nothing to do with species. That subject didn’t seem to matter to the fox, he saw her and the kits as just as much of a mammal as himself… even as his family to love and protect.

Her heart warmed at that. If more mammals were like this fox, prey and pred alike, the world would be a better place. Maybe the world would even be able to move forward one day with everyone working together. She could even picture mammals of all kinds working together to make a better world. 

But that was a muse for another time.

He said that he loved her, but how did she feel about him?

_ He’s family _ .

That much was true for sure. At this point she would call him family no matter what. He had saved her siblings, he had forgiven her for what she had done to him, and she felt that she could trust him… 

In her heart, Judy would have to say that she loved him too. He was undeniably family to her… and a family loved each other.

But there was still something bothering her, an emotion deep within her that made her feel she wasn’t getting the whole picture.

There was some part of this she just hadn’t begun to understand.

She thought back to after she had first injured him, 

_ His eyes were so warm… they’re always so warm. _

She caught herself staring at them more than she cared to admit. 

She couldn’t help it, they were honest windows that displayed a kind soul. Whether they looked at Cotton or Ashes or Ollie or her, they had always been full of kindness. Just that alone made her marvel at them… 

...But when they looked at her, his eyes had something more to them that she just hadn’t comprehended.

Her thoughts turned to last night once again. 

She had been crying her eyes out and he had comforted her. She had felt completely worthless and at fault for everything that had happened to her family, and he had worked to reassure her of her value. 

...And when she asked him why he would even care about her and her problems, he had listed off what she had done for him. 

Her ears reddened at all that the fox had said about her before her mind settled on what made her heart jump the most,

_ ‘Karma, you trust me.’ _

_ His eyes when he said that…  _

He had looked at her so earnestly, so passionately, like she had been the sole source of light in a very dark room… 

_ Slick… _

Those eyes had made her want to lean into the fox when she saw his muzzle so close to her last night, but she still couldn’t place why.

She was so close to comprehending how she felt, and yet it eluded her.

However, that didn’t stop her from letting out a happy sigh. She now knows how much this fox cares for her. That he had truly 100% seen her as family, that he loved her like family.

_ I guess rabbits aren’t the only emotional ones, eh Slick?  _

Quietly, Judy crawled over to where the now sleeping Cotton was and sat next to the little doe and the fox. She smiled at seeing how comfortably still Cotton was clinging to Nick’s neck fur. 

Happily, Judy inched her way up to the side of Nick’s head and laid down next to him where she would be able to see his face.

“Nick,” She spoke quietly, trying to get him to look at her without disturbing the sleeping bunnies.

He tensed for a second at her voice before turning his head to face her. 

And that’s when caring amethyst met hurting emerald.

The fox had tears matted in his fur and his eyes were red. 

_ Nick…  _ Her heart panged at seeing him like this, and although Judy didn’t know exactly why he had been upset, she knew just how to help. 

Afterall, This fox had shown her the best way just last night.

Gently, Judy put her paws against the sides of Nick’s muzzle, and just as the night before she went to his cheeks and began licking away every trace of his tears. 

She started underneath his eyes, and began tracing the tracks through his fur.

Nick had tensed at first, a little surprised, a little happy, and a little heartbroken over her kind ministrations. 

_ Judy… _ Her name ran through his mind.

His heart clenched at her actions. Oh how he wished there could be something more between them! She was kind, she was compassionate, she was funny, she was beautiful, she’s-

_ Everything _ . 

He had foolishly and unwittingly imprinted on her, but he knew she’d never be his. 

_ Why did I have to- _

…And then she reached his muzzle and every thought of his melted away. 

She licked away the tear tracks that had settled in his fur, and had gotten so very close to his lips. 

He closed his eyes as he let out a little gasp at her tender care.

It only took a moment for Judy to clear away all of the tears, and by the end of it she didn’t move back from his muzzle.

She smiled at the little gasp of surprise he had made, it reminded her of his whine from when he scented her earlier that night. Uncontrolled and happy.

And because he had sounded happy, it made her feel happy too. 

And as she looked at the fox next to her she began to think of what she had wanted from him last night before he had licked her.

_ I wanted him to lean in…  _

And subconsciously Judy herself leaned in even closer to the fox before her. Her eyes were half-lidded and her nose slightly twitching.

And before she knew it, her pink, twitchy nose was touching Nick’s larger one.

He gasped lightly at the contact before breathing in her wonderful scent, it overwhelmed him quickly.

She loved the look that was on his face as she held him so close. He was dazed, but content; happy that  _ she  _ was so close to him, that  _ she _ was the one looking into his eyes, that  _ she _ was the one who was holding his face with her paws and had her nose against his.

It was like the fox was under some kind of spell.

“Judy…” His voice was thick, and almost drunkenly he pushed their noses together just a bit more. 

At the gruffness of his voice, Judy’s ears reddened.

How could he say something as simple as her name and make her feel so flustered?!

_ What are you doing to me, Slick? _

Nick had been so… surprising to her. He had been kind and compassionate and supportive and funny and… 

_ Loving… _

Her heart clenched in her chest as she thought about how truly loving this fox had been to her and the kits. She was so glad to know him, to be able to look in his warm eyes and see a kind mammal staring back at her with such a gaze.

Judy didn’t really understand what she was about to do, but it couldn’t be helped. She felt so moved with emotion and gratitude and affection for the fox before her that she simply had to show him how she felt.

Softly, she lifted her nose from his, much to the fox’s dissatisfaction. But that dissatisfaction was quickly replaced with intoxicated happiness, when she pressed her lips against his nose, kissing it gently.

“Nick...” She softly spoke, her own eyes half-lidded, so content with the mammal before her.

To the fox’s shock, Judy’s soft lips were just pressed against his nose, he was almost overwhelmed by the unexpected sensation. His heart felt like it was leaping out of his chest and his uninjured arm sweeped up without a conscious thought to caress one of her long ears. 

She had just kissed his nose! And her half-lidded stare mimicked his own. 

It was a sweet moment for Nick, at least for now his doubts and worries of future rejection were swept aside. Instead, he could only feel the warmth from the kiss she had just placed on his snout. A small smile crossed his lips as he stared into the violet eyes in front of him.

“I’ll never let you go, Carrots.” He whispered as he continued to caress one of her long ears.

Nick could feel her ears redden and go limp at his whisper. For only a second did he worry before her smaller paws began scritching the sides of his muzzle.

Nick eased at her touch.

_ Things will be okay, Nick. Things will be okay.  _ He told himself as he felt her paws against his face. 

_...Just don't mess this up. _

The fox and doe settled from their exchange of emotions. 

Their eyes grew tired and soon enough both of them would be claimed by sleep.

Judy was the first to fall asleep. Even in slumber though, Judy wouldn’t unravel her paws from the fox’s muzzle. She would fall asleep that night comfortably close to the warm verdant eyes that looked at her lovingly.

As Judy fell asleep, Nick’s tired eyes looked at her with so much emotion. 

He had imprinted her, a rabbit. Something that should have been considered a mistake. A love that surely wouldn’t be reciprocated.

But as his own eyes grew tired, and as he looked at this doe who so trustingly slept so close to his muzzle and who’s paws were entwined in his fur, he couldn’t see how any vixen would do for him now anyways.

He leaned his nose closer to her and scented her once again.

_ She… _

_ She’s perfect. _

He knew it would be difficult, he knew she probably would never care for him like  _ that _ , but as he looked at the doe now sleeping in front of him, he knew he would always be there for her… 

And just as he planned on them weathering the brewing snowstorm that would likely blow in tomorrow, he would weather  _ whatever _ would happen with this doe.

_...No matter what. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greatly enjoyed writing this chapter :) Was so stressed on where to bring their relationship, I think this was a fair direction. I know it's moving fast but I cant find myself regretting it. But what do you think?


	17. The Coming Storm Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Judy and Nick wake up after their emotional night together with the kits. More feelings are realized, promises are being made, and love desperately wants to find a way... unbeknownst to our rabbit and fox, however, trouble is coming, and it's not from the weather.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized after about an hour after posting the chapter, I had submitted the rough draft. Here is the final version, sorry to anyone who read the rough draft :\

**The Coming Storm**

- **At the Fox’s Den: Before Dawn-**

Nick’s eyes were half-lidded and tired as they opened. There wasn’t really a reason for him to wake at such an early hour, yet his body had decided to do just that. Perhaps it had been the haphazard sleeping hours that these bunnies had been subjecting him to for the last couple of days, or maybe it was just his restless mind telling him to get up. He couldn’t say which.

But what he could say for certain was that the sight that awaited his opening, tired eyes was a welcome one.

When Nick had fallen asleep last night, it had almost been a dreamlike paradise. 

Little Cotton had cuddled to the side of his neck and Ashes and Ollie had fallen asleep using his tail as a blanket… And Judy, the beautiful grey rabbit of his dreams, had fallen asleep holding his muzzle with her paws while the two had tenderly gazed at each other until slumber had claimed her.

This newfound closeness with Judy and the kits was amazing to him. 

Less than a week ago he would curl up in a ball alone and hope that the next day would bring something a little better. 

And then, out of nowhere, it did.

And now, Nick had the privilege of waking up surrounded by the ones that he loved.

For the fox, he wasn’t sure if “amazing” would ever fully describe just how special waking up surrounded by his family was to him.

And now as the fox awoke, he would get to dedicate this day to being with the ones he loved, these special rabbits that had burrowed their way into his heart.

As the fox contentedly laid in his bed, his body began to function. 

It was always a process for the nocturnal fox when he woke at such an hour.

The first thing to come was his sense of touch. The fox creaked a very tired smile as he began registering what was around him. Two little bodies were still pressed against his side, and tiny paws were holding his tail for comfort. Unmistakably, it was Ashes and Ollie enjoying their favorite sleeping space.

Nick made a mental note on congratulating Judy for not stealing away their ‘blanket’ this morning like she had the day before.

Nick also registered a warmth from the side of his neck. 

The fox was quite surprised to realize that the usually rough and tumble sleeper Cotton had remained remarkably still throughout the night! 

Little Cotton must have enjoyed the warm nook between the fox’s muzzle and shoulder quite thoroughly to entice her restless body to stay so still, or perhaps it was because she felt safest with the fox that had told her that he loved her so dearly… 

Likely it was both.

For Nick, it was a wonderful thing to feel the little bunnies so close to him. They were using him to feel safe, and warm, and protected. Even though he was insurmountably sleepy, his heart swelled at the thought of providing them with so much love and comfort.

And the strong emotions in his heart only increased as he opened his eyes. As his vision cleared, the fox’s heart thumped against his chest. A sleeping Judy still so close to his muzzle. 

Just like Cotton, the restless grey doe hadn’t moved in her sleep either, still comfortably close with her face right across from Nick’s. 

His heart throbbed in his chest as he felt the light patting of her breath gently hit against his muzzle, and only now did he register that her paws were resting gently underneath his jaw. One paw with fingers still buried in the cream-colored fur of his neck and the other wrapped gently around Cotton’s smaller body, protectively holding the kit.

His heart skipped and his tired eyes lost a bit of their sleepiness as he gazed at the snoozing rabbit lying next to him.

_ So the kiss wasn’t just a dream. _ The fox realized as he stared at the bunny next to him.

Nick refused to stifle the fond smile that crossed his muzzle as he recalled the events of the night before.

The night had turned so painfully sad when they discovered little Ashes had had the worst nightmare of his entire life. The poor buck had been crumbling in his sorrow, his dream had brought picture after picture of vicious wolves hurting his loved ones. 

And when his mother hadn’t come to reassure him and tell him that it was all ok, it was then he remembered what had happened really wasn’t just a dream… and that his momma was gone.

The buck needed the support of his family, and it had been up to Nick and Judy to give him that… He needed to know that he was loved. That there were mammals who would shoulder those tears for him… for them. Each of the kits needed to know that.

And that was given to them last night as Nick had sung to the upset kits, and Judy had gently rocked little Ashie while petting his ears to soothe him. 

Together Nick and Judy provided the love that the kits so direly needed to feel.

Nick smiled at how well Judy was able to care for them last night.

_ We make a great team, Carrots. _

His smile grew as he considered the doe. 

_ How was it not a dream? That she kissed me…  _

Like an angel of Karma, Judy had discovered the fox’s emotional distress. He closed his eyes and could feel her licking away the tears that had plagued him. 

It had taken the fox’s breath away.

But it hadn’t ended there. 

Judy had put her nose against his… an action that made his head spin as he fully inhaled her scent… What she had done next had even overshadowed that. An act that had taken all sense from the fox, an action that he would have never dreamed of actually happening… Mindbogglingly, Judy had pressed her lips against his nose… 

This beautiful grey doe had _kissed_ his nose last night… She had kissed him! 

It had been as wonderful as it was unexpected! He had reveled in her tender care and sincerity in the action… 

Judy, the bunny he had imprinted, scented, and  _ loved _ had  _ kissed him. _

He couldn’t stop his body from purring his contentment at the thought of her actions, and even now he was still reveling in this crazy, wonderful bunny.

His father’s words echoed in the back of his mind as he purred his bliss for the bunnies surrounding him. 

_ You were right dad, the right one really would turn my life upside down.  _

It was an easy thing to believe when he was laid out on his back nose to nose with a bunny.

And as Nick half-liddedly gazed at the bunny next to him, he still couldn’t deny his conclusions that he had come to last night. 

She and the kits really were the best things that had ever happened to him… 

_ She’s perfect.  _ There wasn’t doubt in his internal declaration. 

Indeed, for this fox, Judy was perfect. He knew she had flaws, of course, but he accepted the ones he knew of and he would accept any others that came up. 

She wasn’t perfect because she was flawless, she was perfect because she cared. This rabbit had given him her full trust. He hadn’t been shown compassion or kindness since his parents had passed, but she had changed that.

Because of her, it had all flooded back to him in a matter of days.

She had reminded him of what it was like to be cared about, and it restored him. 

She was perfect for him, a force of nature that overtook his pain and replaced it with happiness and hope and faith. 

She made him believe again.

The looks she gave him with those strong, violet eyes, the way her padless paws felt when she would groom his tail or run her fingers through his fur, the way she had tenderly licked away his tears… 

the softness of her lips when she kissed his nose… 

It had reminded him that there was something to live for. _. _

This rabbit had the incredible way about her that just so easily drew him in, and compelled him to want to be with her, to want to protect her and want to… 

_ … love her…  _

Yes, so very much now Nick wanted to share his love with her.

He had told it to little Cotton when she sleepily asked the question last night. 

And he meant it, he really was falling for a rabbit.

It was a wonderful, painful truth. 

He already came to the conclusion that she may never feel anywhere close to that for him, but still his heart told him that he would be there for her… that as long as she wanted him there, he would always stay with her.

_ I will, Judy. I’ll be here no matter what…  _

_ I’ll never let you go. _

In that moment, his heart ached to be closer to her. And so he did.

He leaned his muzzle a little closer to the doe. 

Quietly and carefully as to not disturb the doe, Nick rooted his nose through the fur on the top of her head. Softly, he inhaled her scent, lightly digging his nose through her fur tracing his snout to the base of her ears. 

It was there that he heavily began scenting her again, taking in her fragrance that he’d already committed to his memory.

To the fox, there just couldn’t be another prospective mate for him anymore, not after finding this doe who smelled of fresh rain, hope, and new beginnings.

Her scent alone made him feel high like nothing else he could dream of. 

And as his nose dug against her fur he noticed a new element to her fragrance. 

His own scent was lightly mixed in with hers, a fact that very much pleased the fox. 

And within him, it stirred up that protective, even  _ possessive, _ nature.

_ My Carrots…  _ His brain proclaimed.

It was a fight for the fox. His mind and body told him to confess his feelings for her, and Nick oh so very much wanted to give in. 

But at the same time he knew he couldn’t risk driving a wedge between them because of his emotions. Logic dictated to him to resolve himself to simply admire her and show his love with his actions.

The problem was, Nick was already struggling with that concept. 

True when it came to most things foxes were sneaky and cunning, but not with this. 

It was foreign for a fox to not be upfront and obvious with how they felt. Chasing their mates, biting, teasing, flirting, scenting, grooming and more- foxes weren’t great at being subtle when it came to their love interests.

And Nick had already fell into several of those with Judy. 

Even now, the idea to withhold his emotions from the doe didn’t hold water… Not as he continued to press his nose against her ears. Even underground, it appeared that logic had been thrown out the window. 

Their scents mixed together kept preaching of how things could be, a foretaste of what life could really be with her, and he loved it… loved her.

He came to a conclusion. He wanted her to know the truth, to know what his feelings were for her.

But he wasn’t ready for that yet, wasn’t ready to verbally risk it.

_ Maybe soon though, Carrots. _

Pushing it off seemed like his best option for now. It was easier. As easy and simple breathing in the fresh, rainy scent that gave him hope. 

He chuckled lightly, remembering when he had first scented the doe.

She had come into his life like a freak storm, and now being with her was like the wonderful days that followed them. 

He let the memory of their first day together replay in his head… 

It had been when Judy had first helped carry him back to his den after injuring him that he had caught the smell of fresh rain from her ears that had bobbed underneath his nose.

It had captivated him then just as it did now. 

The scent of the doe was the same as the scent that encapsulated his happiest memories. 

Memories like when his father would chase him back into the den when he went to play in the rain. A time in his life where those around him loved and cared for him.

She was the smell of new life in the spring and summer. The scent of an enlivened forest. The fragrance after a torrential downpour, a smell that promised new days of bright sunshine were coming soon!

_ It fits her. _ He thought

Fresh rain reminded him of his family when he was younger, and with Judy a new family he had.

And just like the fresh rain would bring forth new life to the forest, so too did Judy bring new life to this fox. She brought forth a bright new day after a terrible storm. Judy and the kits had ushered in a new era of his life. Days that would surely be full of sunshine and hope after so many years of loneliness.

True, last night Nick had felt down about his future with this doe, but this morning things didn’t feel so hopeless… at least not with her scent filling his lungs and the memory of her kiss on his nose last night. 

With those in mind, how could he not feel hopeful for his future?

_ Would it really be so bad if I told her?  _ The fox asked, full of optimism.

It didn’t feel like it would be. And with that hope emboldening the fox, he couldn't help but whisper his promise. 

“I’ll never let you go, Carrots.” Nick softly said in the ear he was scenting.

At his words, Nick felt her paw begin to scritch underneath his jaw.

“I’m glad, Nick.” She whispered back.

At some point Judy had woken up too, and instead of making her consciousness known, she laid there and enjoyed the feeling of the fox’s nose exploring her fur and taking comfort in her scent. 

She wanted him to feel happy from her scent just like she had done with him.

Still, Nick knew none of that. He knew it hadn’t bothered her much last night, but surely it would bother her now since he had just woken her up by sniffing her long ears!

Knowing that he had been caught, his body stiffened. He hadn’t realized that she had awoken too, and embarrassingly his nose was still pressed against her ears. 

It was safe to say that Nick was utterly mortified!

_ Karma, why do I keep doin- _

And then Judy’s paw hit just the right spot underneath his muzzle… and his worried thoughts were no more. 

Now, it was just a bunny scritching underneath a fox’s muzzle, and a fox melting into a bunny’s paw like putty.

Underneath the jaw just so happened to be a preferred spot for canines to be scritched by their loved ones. It felt good, yes- immensely good, in fact. But it also meant that they had access to his neck. It was trust, and she had it completely. 

In his state of newfound bliss, the fox’s mind began catching up to the words of the grey doe.

_ She’s...glad? With me? _

It wasn’t so much the words themselves that made the fox feel so content, but the context of them… Judy was glad that he said he would never let her go… that essentially she was happy if he would always be there with her… 

That was significant to the fox, and his heart skipped at the prospect. 

_ If she really means that…  _

It would mean the world to him… because she and the kits were his world.

To the fox, it would be like a promise that they’d stick with each other from now on… that they would be a permanent family… the fact she affirmed this when she had her paw against his neck only deepened the meaning for him.

Although her wonderful scritches dulled his mind with bliss, Nick was still capable of removing his snout from her ear so he could look at her face. 

Soft purple eyes met with hopeful greens.

Judy wore a smile that was warm and sincere (and just a little sleepy,) and her eyes only spoke of a contentedness at the fox’s quiet declaration that he would never let her go. 

His ears reddened as he blushed from her content look.

_ She really meant it! She's happy being with me! _

Perhaps that should have been a given to the fox, but for a mammal who had only recently escaped the grips of long-term isolation, he couldn’t help but take every bit of reassurance he could. And this was a very welcome reassurance, one that caused his body to react without his brain’s input.

A happy whine escaped from Nick’s throat as he cherished the honest look on her face and her paw against his neck. 

At the realization of the embarrassing, happy noise that had escaped his throat, Nick’s ears reddened. 

_ Why do I keep doing that?! Karma-  _

Judy giggled at the abashed look on Nick’s face and decided that now was the time to tease the embarrassed fox.

“You know Slick, you can’t whisper in a rabbit’s ears and expect us not to hear it.” She said sarcastically, making sure to emphasize his nickname. (Although not too loudly to prevent waking the sleeping kits.)

Her statement only made him blush a bit harder. And the purposeful inclusion of his nickname only added on to the teasing. It was pretty obvious to Nick that it had been anything but ‘slick’ to whisper in her ear and expect that she wouldn’t hear it.

Judy expected the fox to play along with her. However, this time her teasing wasn’t met with an equal verbal jab that would make her blush.

Instead, it was met with a tender clawed paw to lift up and rest against her cheek.

Nick’s heart had clenched at his nickname. She was teasing him again… and he really loved it, really loved that the first thing she tries to do after waking up is to get under his fur. It was a privilege to him, a wonderful trait of the bunny next to him. 

And on this occasion, he couldn’t help but let the bunny know just how much it had meant to him.

His paw moved on its own accord to gently place itself on the side of her face. Gently, he rubbed his clawed thumb against her cheek as he began purring once again. 

She had such a strong effect on him.

Judy let out a surprised eep at the fox’s surprise touch with his clawed paws. 

It was safe to say she hadn’t expected his retaliation to be a display of affection for her. But as she felt his smooth, paw pads rest against her cheek and the pad of his thumb tenderly rub against her fur, she settled quickly and leaned into his touch. 

Now she was the one feeling her ears redden at her embarrassing noise.

He grinned at both her surprised sound and happy reaction. 

It was all he could do to not chuckle as he finally whispered his mischievous response to the doe, 

“I guess  _ your _ fox isn’t as sly as you, Carrots. I’ll have to be careful or you might just get better at being a tease than I am.”

Judy’s ears turned a dark shade of red at the fox’s innuendo.

He had just called her a tease!

There was a lot she wanted to say to that comment, a lot she could say. Sophisticated answers such as, ‘I am not a tease, fox!’ came to mind.

But those thoughts were quickly clouded over by a more important detail in what the fox had just said,

_ My fox?  _ Judy internally asked, _ Did Nick just say he was my fox?  _

He had.

Within that innuendo, Nick had called himself  _ her _ fox… and perhaps she was putting too much stock into that single word, but she really,  _ really _ liked it. 

It was  _ right _ to call him  _ hers _ . And for some reason, to hear Nick say it made her feel a bit…  _ possessive _ .

_ My fox…  _ Her smile grew as she repeated the sentiment in her head over and over.  _ My fox, my fox, my fox! _ …  _ My _ _ sly fox is trying to be slick again…  _

And it was working.

She leaned further into his paw resting against her cheek, her heart swelled as her mind continued on its tirade,  _ My fox. My fox. _

Still, she couldn’t leave his innuendo unpunished. 

“A very sly bunny, and a very, very dumb fox!” She said back with a grin a mile wide.

Nick smirked at her response before quietly (still mindful of the sleeping bunnies in the bed) going into dramatics. “You wound me, Carrots.” He responded jokingly. 

“Why, I am shocked at you, appalled- shocked and appalled, I say! How could anyone mistake this dashing, charming, and extremely handsome fox as dumb! I’m so much more than just my looks you know.”

Judy was impressed at how well he could display such a dramatic bit so quietly and yet so humorously. She tried her best to suppress her laughter at his response, but it was still clear to the tod that he’d gotten to her good.

She already had her own thoughts for getting him back for his slyness earlier, however. 

And she would use his dramatics to do it. 

In her own whispering, dramatic flair, Judy responded to the fox, “I think you’ve shown me the error of my ways. Slick, from now on  _ your _ bunny won’t dare to even think about calling  _ her _ fox dumb ever again!”

If Nick thought he could be sly and call himself her fox, well Judy would make sure he knew that she caught it, but she certainly wasn’t about to use it against him… but she would use it for her benefit.

A fact that certainly didn’t escape him.

_ My bunny?  _ He purred his contentment at that.

_ My bunny… Carrots… my bunny…  _

**Wolven Encampment: Before Dawn**

Unlike our fox and bunny, for a certain brown wolf, the night had been uneventful after Julius’ speech. It had crawled by at a snail’s pace, tormenting him by its never ending length. 

He found himself pacing the grounds just outside of the new wolven encampment edging by the forest. Sleep had never come to Wolford, no, he wouldn’t dare sleep with his hunt for vengeance at paw. It had been a restless night of silent prayers to the Ancestors on behalf of his friend and pleadings for a successful hunt. 

Aggravatingly, he saw that his prayers were met with a clouding sky that warned of a likely blizzard. Although a wolf’s coat protected them from temperatures far below freezing, even wolves would have to hunker down during a snowstorm, not to mention an effective burial of the trail. 

Soon, his pleads to the Ancestors were replaced with angry growls and verbal cursing.

“Calm yourself, Demas. Cursing the Ancestors will do nothing to aid the Hunt.” 

The familiar voice of Brute calling him by his birth name surprised him, but did nothing to ease the incensed wolf.

“Calm?! How can I be calm when my friend’s desecrator is so close to freedom?!” Wolford shot back while gesturing at the clouding sky that all but promised feet upon feet of snow.

Brute hummed at this. Normally, the Beta would pull rank at such an outburst, but at the moment he couldn’t help but feel compassion for his packmate. 

In light of the ruthless (and perhaps even murderous) actions taken by the Alpha towards Sapper, Brute found himself questioning his view of the hierarchy.

In his reflection, the Beta found himself very much at odds with how things had been run. 

Traditionally, wolf packs always had a ranking system that gave each member a position within the pack: from the leader to the lowest rank. A system that allowed higher-ups like himself to force the lower ranks like Wolford and the deceased Sapper to submit to the upper echelon’s will. 

The Omega, the lowest ranked of all, had it the worst. The poor wolf had been used as someone for the rest of the pack to physically and emotionally abuse in order to relieve stress. 

But on Brute’s reflection he found it difficult to justify treating Sapper in such a way. 

_ Did that position really need to exist?  _ He had asked himself.

Most wolves needed a release, but couldn’t that be through something else? The position had always existed and always made some semblance of sense, but after what had happened to Sapper he was struggling to justify the wolven hierarchy, struggling to justify using rank to achieve his goals.

And as bad as the position of Omega was, the root of the problem stemmed from the leadership. The Alpha had been domineering and ruthless, a trait that was widely acceptable for a leader. 

A trait that Brute now saw as a clear danger to his own packmates if the leaders were too powerful to be held accountable. Julius’ behavior was proof of it. No other wolf could directly challenge him and hope to win, and as his leadership went on his power grew evermore. 

A power difference that was set to continue for generations. 

As pack leader, Julius had the sole right to have pups. True, it was acceptable for him and the other higher ranked members in the hierarchy to have mates, but thanks to the traditions that the Ancestors had put in place, it was only acceptable for the Alpha to have progeny. A guideline that so clearly was meant for the guaranteeing of a dynasty that could solidify long-term control.

A fact that was already coming into fruition considering that Julius was already lining up his eldest son to take over after him.

It seemed to Brute now, that these rules were put in place not to strengthen the pack… but to strengthen the pack leader… And Brute didn’t like that. Not when that position was currently being abused. Not when it hurt the other members below.

Brute still considered himself as a traditional wolf on most fronts… but maybe some traditions needed to be reformed… including the need to pull rank on a member of the pack that was so clearly hurting.

And because of this fresh outlook, maybe it would be best to approach the situation with friendly compassion.

Carefully and calmly, Brute responded to Wolford’s outburst,

“It’s almost dawn, Demas, and it won’t take long for Julius to select the participating warriors to mobilize. I know what this hunt means to you, and believe me, there  _ will _ be justice for Sapper…” 

A growl caught in Brute’s throat as he thought of Julius’ possible treachery, “One way or another… there will be justice.”

_ Even if we can’t find the desecrator…  _

Wolford was taken aback by the almost  _ sentimental _ words of the Beta, it was strange to feel such a consolation from Brute.

The words were reassuring to the brown wolf, and at Brute’s response Wolford’s respect for the Beta grew.

So, Wolford decided to place his faith in the words of his… friend? 

He wasn’t sure what to call Brute right now, but perhaps that one wasn’t too far off.

But what Wolford did know was that if he had the pack on his side, he had a much better chance of getting the vengeance he needed.

As Wolford’s reassurance was bolstered once again, Brute’s words proved to be prophetic. The loud howl of the Alpha could be heard from the center of the encampment, signalling for the whole pack to assemble immediately.

“It’s time, Demas.” Brute spoke with steel in his voice as he heard the howl, “Today we will get justice for Sapper.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been a few weeks, but here we are at another chapter. A bit shorter than my last several chapters, but for a good reason! I had written both halves at once and all together it would've been ridiculously large. Next chapter will come out very soon, just needs to be edited.  
> Hope everyone is doing well, and I trust everyone is keeping safe :)


	18. The Coming Storm Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More feelings are realized between the fox and the rabbit as Nick and Judy decide to dedicate the day to brigning the kits happiness and reassurance.
> 
> Nick and Judy reassure the kits that no matter what, they will protect them... 
> 
> However, A hunting party is well on its way.

**The Coming Storm Part II**

- **At the Fox’s den: Two Hours After Dawn** -

  
  


The warmth that surrounded the fox and the rabbit had its own tempting way of keeping the two in bed. Both could attest to the enjoyment they found in each other’s close company, and the worn out kits surrounding them didn’t seem ready to relinquish the fox from their tight grips.

So for the longest time Nick and Judy decided to stay right where they were, with faces so close and grooming paws exploring the muzzles, ears, and other features of their close companion.

Besides, it wasn’t like they wanted to stop their teasing chats with each other either, especially Judy… The grey doe had been reveling in how the fox had called himself ‘her fox’ and ever since she had taken every (not so) subtle opportunity to refer to herself as ‘his bunny.’

It lasted that way for some time. Both did an excellent job at going back and forth over every conversation point. Whether the topic was themselves, past memories, or the storm that was brewing outside, they would find a way to make it lighthearted enough.

It was surprisingly soothing. A break in the storm that had hit their lives allowing them to finally breathe a sigh of relief. 

Eventually, however, their pleasant easygoing conversations grew into more concerning subjects, namely about the precious young ones surrounding them.

Yesterday had been such a hard day for the kits. Reality had turned their lives upside down with hardly any warning, ripping away almost everything that the children held dear.

“They deserve better.” 

The words came from the fox’s mouth, but it was an opinion firmly shared by both, clearly evidenced by the small but approving smile of the doe next to him.

“What do you have in mind, Slick?”

“This is gonna sound cheesy, but we should make today all about them, you know pull out all the stops…”

“Cheesy fox!” Judy scritched underneath his jaw lightly, eliciting a soft purr from the tod, “That’s a great idea.”

So today the two had an objective: it would be a day dedicated for reassurance. 

Today, Nick and Judy would make absolutely sure that the kits knew that they would always be loved, provided for, cherished, and safe… 

_ Truly safe.  _ Nothing that their nightmares conjured up would ever be allowed to hurt them, not if their tough sister and protective fox had anything to say about it.

A day dedicated to making the kits feel better could only be started off right with a home-cooked breakfast… One that the fox was determined to get the grey doe to help him make.

But before they could start working on a meal, Nick and Judy would first have to conquer the most daunting of challenges.

How in the world would they free Nick from the clutches of the little bunnies around him?!

It would prove to be a challenge.

Judy really had it easy, she simply had one bunny that she was holding, and the sandy brown doe was far more interested in clutching onto the downy, cream fur of the fox.

For Nick, the resistance was fearsome.

“Carrots, she really won’t let go…” Nick whispered to Judy.

How true that was. Cotton had her first unmoving sleep last night, and if the little kit had her way that would not change. It was Nick’s fault really, he shouldn’t have had such a soft, warm nook that could perfectly fit a bunny kit between his shoulder and his muzzle.

Carefully, Nick attempted to pull Cotton from her comfortable spot without waking her, and immediately it became clear that she wouldn’t be giving him up without a fight. 

Firmly, the sandy doe clung to the fur of Nick’s neck, unconsciously gripping him even tighter with her little paws.

It was comically cute and poetically sweet.

Almost like Cotton was expressing her joy from when Nick told the kit that he loved her. Just as Nick had told Judy that he’d never let her go, it appeared Cotton had quite literally chosen to do the same to the fox. 

Nick sat up carefully as he contended against the sleepy rabbit, keeping one paw against her to balance her and the other to try to untangle her paws from his fur.

It didn’t work.

By the end of Nick’s fruitless efforts to remove Cotton, the fox gave a pitiful shrug to the grey doe sitting beside him. 

Judy failed to suppress her giggles at the show that Nick and Cotton were putting on. It was simply too adorable, watching the fox gently holding up little cotton as the sandy brown doe refused to relinquish his neck. 

It was amusing to watch how supremely gentle he was with her too, he held her the same way her own parents would hold the kits: with utmost love.

It made her heart clench a bit as she watched this unique fox’s interaction with the sleeping bunny. 

After another moment of the sweetest struggle Judy had ever seen, the fox turned back to her with a pleading look of resignation.

“A little help here, Carrots…” The fox whispered in humorous distress.

It was unfair how cute  _ her _ fox was with Cotton, and much too easy of an opportunity to tease.

“Aw what’s the matter Slick?” Judy’s tone had a ribbing edge, “Wait, don’t tell me, could it be that  _ my _ big, strong fox can’t handle an adorable little bunny?” 

Nick pinned his ears in an effort to hide their reddened state. 

“Well this is no ordinary rabbit! she’s the  _ cutest,  _ most huggable, creature I’ve ever set eyes on!..” His face contorted to a look of slight discomfort, with faux strain in his voice Nick continued, “And Carrots, hurry, she has the grip of a bear.”

“Such a drama fox.” The grey rabbit rolled her eyes at her fox’s antics before stepping forward and assisting with the tangled bunny kit.

With methodical and experienced paws, Judy unraveled Cotton’s little fingers from the tod’s fur before gently pulling the sandy brown bun away from the red fox. 

Cotton’s unconscious body protested the change of environment, quite upset to lose the warmth and security from the nook she had been sleeping in. Her little arms flailed reaching for her fuzzy, warm companion, but it was too late now- the fox was free… mostly.

Ashes and Ollie were still holding onto his tail, but luckily the two were much less resistant to being moved than their little sister was. 

Soon enough the sandy brown kit and her siblings were resettled comfortably into a newly formed bunnypile. 

With a fond, easy smile Nick wrapped up the bunnies with a linen blanket, making sure that each were comfortably tucked under the warm covering.

He turned to the grey doe, or at least to where she was-

Judy was already off the bed and standing, ready for the fox to get moving.

“Alright Slick, I think it’s time you teach me how to cook.”

**-0-0-**

The fire crackled with the fresh offering of wood and stubble placed over it. The hot coals were only happy to be fed by their master, and it was evidenced by the soothing swoosh of the growing flames.

Satisfied with his work, Nick made his way back to the rabbit at the sewing table with a pot full of boiled water and a rabbit's favorite vegetable. The delicious smell of carrots emanated from their makeshift kitchen as Nick and Judy prepared a meal for their sleeping little ones. 

After Nick fished out the carrots and pawed them to his Carrots, The fox and rabbit both found themselves in a companionable silence at the sewing table. 

Nick hummed as he sliced and shredded potatoes with his claws, while Judy was using a stone pestle and one of Nick’s bowls to mash up the softened carrots that Nick had just given her.

There was a nostalgic smile spread across the fox’s muzzle as he hummed to his tune. 

He'd forgotten the joy of cooking with another mammal. Ever since he was a young kit he had always assisted his mom with making their meals, something his father only encouraged knowing that Nick would one day have a prospective mate he could share the experience with.

John Wilde had apparently been spot on in that notion, although the reynard would never have guessed that his son would’ve fallen for a rabbit. 

The fox’s easy smile turned to a happy grin at the thought of his mom and dad watching over him and Judy as they cooked. 

Nick could already picture the smug grin on his father’s face knowing that his son was cooking to provide for his very own (albeit unorthodox) family. 

A happy sigh escaped the tod’s muzzle as he continued his work, simply content with this familiar practice being shared with the mammal he was falling in love with.

The happy sigh caught the ear of the rabbit next to him, and As Judy mashed the carrots, she watched the content looking fox work his craft. It went without saying that her attention turned to his claws as they dismembered potato after potato with great efficiency, making them into a large pile of hash ready to be cooked over the fire. 

It was strange for the doe, what should have been a terrifying display to a rabbit, was now just plain interesting to Judy. 

It was amazing how her view of his claws had changed so drastically in such a short amount of time. 

At first, the sharp appendages were something to fear, something to hate even.  _ Dangerous _ , ruthless tools that, when wielded by a different fox so many years ago, had almost killed her.

But then her view of  _ his _ claws had changed. 

Judy’s mind turned to when she’d attacked the fox and little Cotton had come to the rescue. 

Judy had thought Nick had taken her siblings, and she injured the fox to find out what had happened to them. Imagine her shock when Cotton had come out of nowhere and had run to the fox… to protect him. 

A bunny  _ kit _ , coming to the defense of an adult fox.

And when Cotton had come to the injured mammal’s rescue, what did the fox do?

Take her hostage? Harm her with those ‘menacing’ claws? Threaten?

No.

The fox had eased the distressed kit by petting and scritching her ears. Cotton had been so sure of this fox that she had even grabbed his paw and hugged it to her body. 

It had been an exchange that had terrified Judy at first, thinking that this fox would only bring harm to her sibling. 

But what Judy didn’t expect was the tender comfort given with those claws instead of pain and distress… 

And suddenly everything Judy knew about this predator had been, very ironically, shredded to bits.

And as the last few days had passed, the fox reinforced that initial change in thinking.

Nick had proven again and again not only how harmless he was to them, but how truly kind he was as well. His claws could clearly be used for great harm (as evidenced by the unfortunate potatoes,) but it was even more apparent that they could be used for great good. 

Judy’s glance slowly morphed into an admiring gaze at the fox next to her.

_ Nick, you’re so much more than that. _ Judy thought as she stared at the vulpine.

He’d shown her how different he could be, and slowly Judy had realized that it wasn’t the claws that dictated if a mammal was good or bad, but their heart.

So long ago Judy had run into that hate-filled fox on her scouting mission, a fox that had turned her completely cold to the idea of a good predator. An idea that was reinforced with many other experiences. 

But here she was now with that exact opposite reality.

Nick could shred things to bits if he desired, but he was far more interested in using his claws to provide comforting scritches to the kits and tender hugs to her than to hurt anyone… 

Judy marveled at how the same tools that most foxes used to harm others, were used by this fox to bring joy and relief to her and the kits. 

It was a fact that made her heart skip as she watched Nick do his work.

And as she observed him cut and slice the tubers, she couldn’t help but remember how good it felt when those paws scritched and caressed her ears. She had received so much solace from the way it had felt for them to soothingly scritch the bases of her ears and up to their tips. 

And as she thought about his claws against her, a realization occurred… 

If at any time this fox had wanted to turn against her, he could have. 

She had been so emotionally vulnerable and had opened herself to him so fully that he could have brought harm to her and she would have been helpless to stop him. 

But she had trusted in him. 

It should have been foolish for her to have given him so much credit, but as she watched him now and listened to his light humming of some song, it was clear why she had. 

_ You care about us, don’t you, Slick? _

She already knew he did, but it still amazed her. Her heartbeat went a little faster thinking about the fox. From last night's song, to when he’d made them meals, to the genuine happiness the kits had when they were with him, it was all evidence to how her trust had so rapidly been  _ earned _ .

His honest smiles, his happy whines, and the monumental efforts he had gone through for the kits, Judy could only come to one conclusion about him.

Her fox has a heart of gold that he gave to them. 

When she was falling apart, he held her, when she cried, he licked her tears away, when the kits were suffering, he sang to soothe them.

This fox, despite his species, had a compassionate, golden heart and that was final in her mind.

The world only sees him as untrustworthy because of his species, but that wasn’t what she saw. Judy saw a mammal that was much more than what others would ever see him as. And if others wouldn’t accept his heart, well, Judy would.

And if this fox wanted to share that heart of gold with her, she would share her heart right back… 

And to her it wouldn’t even be an inconvenience to do so. 

In fact,

_ I want to. _ Her chest tightened as she watched the fox.  _ I really want to…  _

Every time he touched her with those loving paws, or wrapped her in his strong arms, or scritched her with those careful claws, she felt that… 

_ Everything will be okay…  _

Because when he’s around everything is okay. 

_ As long as you're here with us, Nick _

Her ears fell back as they turned red.

_ Slick… why do I… why do I need you like that? _

Judy blushed as she realized how much she wanted to be around him. Everything felt right when she was with him- 

_ He… He’s really my fox.  _ She thought as her gazed pinned to his warm smile. 

_ I really want him… I really want him to stay with me, I…  _

Judy’s heart raced as she watched the fox before her. 

_My fox._ _Slick, I think… I think I might lo-_

“Um, Carrots? You done with the carrots, yet?” Nick asked as he noticed the grey doe looking his way.

Whatever thought she was considering went up with a puff of smoke with the inquisitive voice of the vulpine staring at her. As the dazed look lifted from her eyes, she now saw that Nick had cut through all of his potatoes.

_ H-how long was I staring?!  _

Nick was giving her a curious, questioning look.

“Carrots, you ok?”

Judy jumped at realizing she was holding his attention now. She had been so distracted by the fox that she had stopped her own work to watch him. Still, the carrots were mashed enough to accomplish whatever it was that the fox was going to do with them.

“Er, yep, just fine!” She squeaked.

The fox had caught her watching him, she had to get this attention off of her.

“Here you go, mashed up just like you asked!” She said bashfully. 

Judy couldn’t help but distance herself from the tod to alleviate some of her sudden awkwardness. 

A gap that the fox very much didn’t like.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to help?” Nick asked the now bashful bunny.

He had really been enjoying their time cooking together, and he certainly didn’t want to lose his new cooking partner. Besides, It was one of the most pleasurable experiences to see others enjoy something that you made, and Nick wasn’t about to let her miss out on seeing the kits’ reactions.

“Oh… um, are you sure?” She asked, shyly. “I’m not really used to cooking… I’ll just slow you down.” Judy said, still flustered at her own odd emotions for the fox in front of her.

She really needed a moment to regather her bearings. A moment not provided by Nick.

“Of course I’m sure, Fluff! It makes it even better for me since this is your first time. You’re gonna love it!”

The tod wasted no time in taking hold of her paws with his own and bringing her flush against his side back at the table. Judy belonged right at his side, and his tail agreed as it encircled behind the grey doe.

“Besides I’m still sore, and could use your help with what I have planned.” He gestured at his injured arm.

Her ears reddened.She wasn’t sure if it was from Nick inadvertently saying he would enjoy being her first time or because she was so close to him with his tail pressed against the small of her back. It didn’t help that the smell of violets made her eyes feel so heavy and half-lidded, and her brain fuzzy.

“Okay,” He started, recapturing some of her attention “So what do you see?” 

He gestured at the food in front of them.

“What do I see?” She asked quizzically.

He nodded patiently.

Judy answered the obvious, “Piles of eviscerated vegetables?”

“Very astute of you, Carrots.” He answered, “Well yeah, but there's more to it than that.”

He looked at the ingredients before speaking again, “This is a chance to try something new and to make it great.”

Judy looked at him confused.

The fox clarified, “We’re gonna put them together.”

Judging by the look on Judy’s face, Nick could tell she wasn’t the most pleased with this idea. Mashed carrots mixed with shredded potatoes sounded terrible.

Nick grinned at her disgusted look, “Just trust me on this one, Carrots. You might just be surprised!”

If there was one thing the tod knew about cooking, it was that some of the best dishes were a product of mixing two things together that didn’t make sense.

“Ok, Slick, I trust you.”

Judy wasn’t sure what made her heart throb harder in her chest, it could have been the earnest, pleased smile that he sent her way, or the words that followed:

“That’s my bunny!” The fox responded happily.

In no time at all Nick had a flat thin stone, old fashioned makeshift cookware, ready and little piles of potato hash mixed with carrot mash squished into flattened circles laying on it. 

Nick directed Judy to mix the two main ingredients herself with her smaller, more precise paws. Silky paws kneaded together the perfect sized little spheres of the two main ingredients. And as Judy did that, Nick flattened them on the pan into little circles, all while adding bits of sweetgrass and a few sweet flavored spices.

It appeared that the fox and bunny were pioneering a very unorthodox version of sweet flavored pancakes. It wasn’t long until they had a good number of the ready-to-cook pancakes prepared to go over the fire. 

“Now,” the fox said while smiling at his protege, “We cook them.”

And by we, Nick meant her… He had placed the stone pan on the fire for her, but he very much wanted Judy to have the right to place and flip the makeshift carrot-potato treats. 

And for good reason, how else could he watch her reactions? 

It was fun for Nick to watch the rabbit flip each pancake with the stick that he had provided for her. He delighted in how her facial features would switch from various stages of serious contemplation when flipping the cakes, to happy satisfaction when she pulled it off perfectly.

In no time, Judy had a stack of hot cakes ready.

The fox swiped a single cake from the pile and pawed half of it over to the rabbit. 

_ Soft center, crisp exterior, looks good.  _ The fox examined before pulling the treat to his maw.

Nick’s half was swallowed up without issue, and was quickly followed by an exaggerated lick of his fingers.

“Well it looks like the den has a new head chef.” Nick said, enjoying the morsel thoroughly.

She blushed, he was getting to her again, but she recovered quickly.

“Not so fast, Slick. You’re not getting out of cooking duty so easily.”

Both mammals chuckled at the others playful attitudes.

Nick gathered up the three bowls that the kits had become accustomed to eating from and placed a few pancakes in each, along with a few blueberries from his storage enclave for good measure. 

_ What don’t blueberries go good with, anyways? _ The fox thought as he swiped a few for himself.

With the hot meal now prepared, Judy and Nick carried the hearty breakfast back to the bed and carefully crawled up next to the kits. 

Side by side, the rabbit and fox sat in front of the sleeping kits piled onto each other underneath the linen blanket. They had slept in pretty late, no doubt from the hard, emotional night before.

With renewed determination and pancakes in paw, Nick and Judy were going to make sure today was much better for them.

Gently, Judy removed the blanket, making sure not to prematurely wake the bunnies while Nick placed the little bowls holding the cakes in front of them.

With the blanket removed, the aroma quickly made its way into the little pink noses of the rabbits.

Nick used his paw to stifle his chuckle when he heard the loud grumble that came from Ashes’ stomach. 

“Now that’s classic Grey _ ,” _ The fox said, amused that the buck’s stomach woke up before the kit himself.

Next came the fierce twitching of their noses, followed by slight movements of their heads unconsciously scooting closer to the source of the delectable smell. And finally, sleepy eyes creaked open to the sight of the awaiting food before them.

The tiredness in their eyes didn’t last long however, the smells of sweet flavored grass, hearty carrots and starchy potatoes incentivized their young brains to turn on.

Ollie was quicker than her brother or sister and was the first to get a handle on the situation, 

“Ashie, Cotton wake up, look!”

It was clear that the speckled white doe was quite hungry, and like a beggar who had found bread, she had to make known of the meal that sat before them.

At their sister’s beckoning, it took hardly a second longer for Ashes and Cotton to figure out what was going on. 

Nick and Judy watched as the famished kits made their happiness at the discovery very well known. After such an upsetting and emotionally draining day they had yesterday, the food that sat before them on the bed didn’t stand a chance!

It only took a second for the little bunnies’ big appetites to take over. And rapidly, the cake circles that Judy and Nick had made were ripped to pieces. It was abundantly clear that they were not in a nibbling sort of mood as they chomped and chewed this new food presented to them with great gusto.

For Judy, it was pleasing to watch her siblings so thoroughly enjoy the meal that she had made. 

Her heart was filled with pride at providing for her family in a new way. Bringing supplies home from her scouting missions was fulfilling, but seeing the happy munching of the little ones was a new experience when she prepared the meal for them. 

For Nick, it was simply pleasing to watch Judy’s reaction at the kits’ happy eating.

For a little while it looked as if the food had taken over every thought process of the little bunnies, but soon little Cotton was capable of voicing her opinions,

“Thwese awe soooo goooood!” Cotton proclaimed, mouth still very full of pancakes.

Both Ashes and Ollie nodded their agreement fervently, but didn’t dare speak as they reverently enjoyed their meals.

Both Judy and Nick smiled at the adorable bunnies, so happy to see the pleased joy of the little ones.

At least for now things could be normal. 

The kits could enjoy a happy, tasty distraction from their sorrows that had hurt them so badly last night, and Nick and Judy could enjoy the domestic bliss of watching the bunnies savor the cakes.

There was a simple fact in grieving, one that was especially true for children. There had to be breaks from sorrow. No mammal should have to be sad all the time, everyone, especially young kits, needed a reprieve from grief. 

Judy and Nick had been lucky enough to find their ‘break’ in each other, and they intended to share that with their whole family. If they could, they would always be a shelter for the little ones, a place of solace where they could heal… 

Nick and Judy let the kits enjoy their moment, not daring to do anything that would let their contentment be broken.

And as the eating wound down, Nick dedicated himself to joking with Ashes about his crazy appetite while semi-regularly swiping leftover blueberries from each of the little bunnies’ bowls. 

Judy did her part by indulging her talkative sisters, taking long moments to listen to Cotton’s ramblings in full, and giving her ears to Ollie’s interests in being as tough as her older sister.

It was a wonderful moment. 

One that the bunnies and the fox were glad to share. 

But eventually that moment ended.

And despite Judy and Nick’s best efforts, the weight of the world could only be held off for so long before it would catch back up to the little rabbits.

They would do anything to keep the kits happy, but grief had this terrible way of sneaking up on children during the happiest of times.

And that very thing would happen to Ollie. 

Grief, the thief to joy, would cherish a strike on the kit as she recounted the old story of how scared their daddy had been when Judy had gone on her first mission. 

It had always been a lighthearted subject, one that the whole clan had talked about for ages, especially the white, speckled doe who was so enthused with her tough older sister.

“Daddy was so scared after you left that he passed out! And- And momma had to pour the water bucket on him!” 

The little kit wasn’t even aware of the tears building up behind her soft brown eyes, or her voice feeling strained as she relived the happy memory.

“But I told him that you were the toughest rabbit in the whooole clan! And- and that you could beat up a- anything! 

Little Ollie let out a small laugh at the story. She had told Judy the story a thousand times, but this time felt different. The humor that was once in the story felt hollow without her daddy there to ‘set the record straight,’ as he had always put it.

Still Ollie troopered on the best she could, 

“But don’t worry Judy, He wasn’t mad- a- and he- he was so glad wh-when you got home, a- and-” 

Why was she choking up? 

Why was her throat hurting so bad as she told the story? 

Why was her paws covering her eyes and her ears so droopy? 

Those were the questions that swam through Ollie’s head.

_ Don’t cry!!  _ Ollie tried to tell herself.  _ You’re strong, remember? Judy told you so, you’re supposed to be strong and brave! You can’t cry for no reason! _

Normally she could stop crying, but this time it felt different. Like Ashes the night before, the reality that her daddy and momma weren’t there anymore had struck out of nowhere.

They’re gone, and there were animals out there that didn’t mind taking away the ones you loved… 

Last night, she had tried to be the strong one for her brother and sister, but right now, as she had remembered her favorite story to tell Judy… Ollie wasn’t feeling so strong anymore.

All she felt was sadness for her family.

Truthfully, It had only been a matter of time until grief would manifest itself again in all of the bunnies’ lives. A loss like theirs wasn’t simply one that could be gotten over with in a week. 

No, this was something that they would have to work through for a long, long time.

But it would never be something that they would have to go through alone. And with the right support from the ones that cared for them everything would be okay.

And as the sobs began to overcome the white doe, the strong grey arms of her older sister wrapped around her. 

“I’m here sweetie, I’m here.” Judy cooed as she held the speckled bun in her arms.

This morning was supposed to be a happy occasion, but it looked as if that just wasn’t in the cards. 

But that was okay. A family stuck together no matter what.

And when one of them hurt, they all did.

Soon Judy and Ollie’s embrace was joined in by two more bunnies and a fox.

Little Ashes had never been one to hide his emotions, and he wasn’t about to forget how much his sister had been there for him last night. Just as she held him after his nightmare, so too would he hold her.

And it went without saying that Cotton would rush to the aid of anyone who was sad. The sandy brown doe would always try to make her family as happy as she could. As quickly as her paws could mover her, Cotton joined the fray of bunnies.

And finally, the russet paws of the fox wrapped them all up. Nick was well aware of how grief could strike at any time, and with that knowledge he would give his full measure of patience, understanding, and love to them.

His father had told him once when he was a kit that he would have paws just like his old dad. He hadn’t understood it then, but it was clear now. His paws were meant for holding these kits, for soothing scritches and careful reassurances. 

He gently pulled them into his lap, and as expected the soft tail of the fox encircled around the family like a warm and secure cocoon. It was becoming a frequent hold for the rabbits, a repetition that gave the kits a foothold on stability and one that made Judy’s heart calm. 

The wiry arms of the vulpine held the bunnies with a steady, firm grip- one that promised he wouldn’t let go of them… A grip that Nick was ready to put into words.

“Speckles, sweetheart,” Nick dipped his muzzle close to the little white rabbit, “You’re safe now, me and Judy promise we’re not going anywhere.”

Ollie looked up to the fox holding her and her family. His eyes were soft and sincere, and although she was still upset, his gentle words helped calm her crying.

Judy was the next to speak, “You don’t have to be so strong all the time, Sweetie. It’s ok, even I need to cry like this sometimes.”

Ollie turned to Judy in disbelief, “Y-you do?” The white rabbit asked, astonished.

If Ollie had seen how badly Judy had broken down on her first night here, it wouldn’t have even been a question. Hell, if it wasn’t for the comforting arms of the fox, Judy might’ve cried until she fell asleep out there.

Judy looked at the kit with the kindest, most understanding of smiles, and hugged her a little tighter.

“Sure do, but you know what keeps me so strong?”

“You’re muscles?” Ollie asked with complete sincerity.

It was enough to draw a snort from the fox behind them.

“No Sweetie,  _ not _ my muscles.” 

Judy took a paw and rubbed one of Ollie’s ears,

“What keeps me strong is my family that loves me.”

Ollie looked at Judy with questioning eyes.

“L- like me?” Ollie asked.

“Yes, you Sweetie. You make me strong because we’re family and we love each other.”

“And us too right Jude?” Ashes asked.

“Of course you and Cotton make me strong too, Ashie.” Judy answered the buck.

“And Mister Nick, too, right Juju? He loves you! Does he make you feel strong?” 

Judy blushed at Cotton’s unexpected question, and unseen by the grey doe the redness in Nick’s ears burned just as bright as hers.

_ Karma, Cottontail! Why- _ The fox let out a silent sigh. It wasn’t her fault, she was just a kit, it was what he got for telling her.

Karma sure had a way of messing with Nick, and perhaps Nick would have denounced the fox deity as unfairly cruel if it wasn’t for the next statement that came from the grey doe’s muzzle.

“Yes,” The grey doe answered, “He makes me feel very strong, Cotton.”

_ Judy…  _

The words of the doe were unexpected. His heart raced at her answer.

_ Me? I make you feel- _

“You love Judy, Mister Nick?” Ollie asked, interrupting Nick’s thoughts.

This had to be some kind of divine subterfuge. Trickery used by Karma to make this whole situation blow up in his face.

But he couldn’t lie to the trusting brown eyes of the speckled doe. These kits had the key to his heart and as much as he wasn’t ready to admit his feelings, the pleading stares of the three kits wouldn’t let him lie.

“I do, I love her very much.” The fox softly answered.

Judy’s ears were beet red as she listened to the confessions of the fox. She had overheard him tell it to Cotton last night, but for him to say it in front of her made her heart beat fast and her face blush.

Before anything else could be said by Nick, little Cotton couldn’t help but speak up once more, “And he loves you guys too! He told me last night after…” 

Cotton rambled on and on until her ears, as well as the ears of the other rabbits picked up on light laughter. They all turned their heads back to the fox who was chuckling at the sandy brown doe..

Nick couldn’t help but laugh, if Cotton had it her way she would tell every secret he had. 

But it was his turn to talk. Nick was ready to tell these rabbits exactly how he felt about them. Afterall, the one thing he didn’t want out in the open was already exposed, so he might as well go all out.

The fox looked at the kits in his arms, “I love each of you,” The fox began, “I love you all, and I promise that I’ll never stop.”

The fox sobered up as he took on a serious tone. “Judy, Ollie, Ashes, Cotton,” He looked at the rabbits in his arms with unhindered honesty, “You’re my whole world; I need you to know that I won’t ever leave you- none of you- behind.”

“We’re family now…” His voice became a bit hoarse with emotions as he gazed into Judy’s eyes in particular, “And- and no matter what, I’ll always be there for you, because…” 

Judy’s heartbeat spiked once again as her eyes locked with the fox’s.

“I love you.”

As he spoke the words now, his verdant greens peered deeply into her violet eyes. Her throat ran dry and her ears reddened. His words made her want to dig her nose into his violet scented chest and feel those careful claws scritch her ears… they made her want to put her lips back on his nose and slide down to his… his muzzle… and… 

_ Kiss him…  _

It felt like a veil had been lifted from her eyes. It had been so obvious what she had wanted when he had first licked away her tears. 

_ Serendipity, he- he’s my fox… and I…  _

_ I love him. I really do love him…  _

What Judy had thought were the feelings of a close, platonic attachment was quickly upended and exposed as something much more significant. 

Everything she’d been feeling for this fox these past few days had culminated into an obvious trust, appreciation and gratefulness for Nick, followed by feelings of close kinship and sharing of pain with him. 

And then, apparently, there had been something more. 

She had questions now, so many that vied for attention. But one quickly took over her mind… 

_ Does…. Does he feel the same? _

Perhaps when the kits were put to bed that night she could ask him.

But right now, this was still a time to comfort and ease the kits that she and Nick were holding.

Judy looked back at the fox, she still wanted to tell him something in return for now. Something that would speak both to the fox and to the kits… 

“We’ll never let you go either.” She said quietly. “No matter what.”

Her ears picked up on light tooth purring from the kits, and her body felt the tightening grip from the fox behind her. It looked like she had said the right thing.

The kits felt much better after hearing the reassurances of the fox and their sister, and Nick felt at ease. 

_ She won’t leave… no matter what my feelings are…  _

For the next little while, the bunnies and fox all sat there silently basking in the comforts and love shared between them.

However, there was still one more thing that worried the rabbit kits…

Something that had upended their family before was still on the loose. The unexpected had happened once and it was a terrifying thing for the little ones to think could happen again.

Perhaps Ashes was the most fearful about it due to his nightmares, or perhaps it was more upsetting to see his sister so hurt by everything. Whatever it was, the kit needed to ask the question that bothered him the most… 

“Wh- what about the wolves…” The little buck asked.

Judy and Nick could feel the fear return to all three of the little ones in their grasps. 

This was something that clearly needed to be addressed now.

Nick was the first to speak, “They’ll never find us, Grey, I haven’t seen a wolf in this part of the forest in years.”

The last time Nick had run into wolves was shortly after his parents had passed and he had been searching for a place to rebuild his life. After Nick had crossed the river that separated where his old life had been and where he had chosen to rebuild his new life- the den he was in now- he hadn’t seen one since.

“But- but what if they do?” The grey buck asked, a tremor running through his small frame. “We never saw wolves either, Mister Nick.”

The grey buck had a point. A really good point.

“Well, Grey, what if I told you that I have a secret plan just in case that ever happens?”

His answer raised the eyebrows of the grey doe, making her wonder what his ‘plan’ was for such an event. Foxes usually had more than one escape route, but Nick’s den didn’t seem to have more than the one entrance and a little covered enclave in the wall for storage.

“You do?” For Ashes, the answer that the fox gave eased him just a little. 

Ashes didn’t know a lot about wolves other than they were extremely dangerous and that they had caused him a lot of pain. But he did know about his family, and he knew he could trust Judy and Mister Nick.

“Yep, just in case.”

“Okay, Mister Nick.” He answered back softly.

And with that bit of reassurance the kits settled down again, taking shelter in the arms of the ones that they knew they could trust.

And as the family cuddled close together on their bed, Nick contemplated the buck’s question.

There was a snowstorm likely to be coming through soon. Something like that would wipe away even the tiniest of traces that could lead back to his den, and since wolves had abandoned this fairly desolate region of the forest years ago, they should be in the clear.

But even if that craziest of scenarios were to happen, Nick already had the means to get the kits and Judy out.

The fox gave a furtive glance to the enclave in his wall that held his wintry storage, knowing full well the secrets that hid just behind the supplies.

_ Don’t worry Grey, I’ll protect you no matter what. _

**Nearing the Hopps Warren: Two Hours After Dawn.**

Six wolves trotted through the snow. Their pace was quick and purposeful as the group traveled in a single file fashion. It was a fearsome sight to see, a line of wolves advancing through a wooded forest on their way to revisit a destroyed rabbit warren. 

A place that they themselves had eradicated all life from. 

And a place where they had lost one of their own.

And now a place where they would soon begin to track the one who had committed such an evil to their fallen comrade.

That morning before dawn, the pack had assembled at Julius’ call. There had been much talk the night before and already they had selected everyone that would participate in the Honor Hunt.

At the end of it, only a few new mothers (all Julius’ mates) had been left, as well as the pups too young to hunt, and a few warriors left to protect the campsite.

Interestingly, that left most of the raiding party that had attacked the rabbit warren in the first place on this hunt, along with an addition of one new wolf that Julius had reluctantly allowed for this mission. 

In this hunt there would be Julius the leader, Wolford, Brute, Brute’s mate Casius, Julius’ eldest son Marcus, and his younger son Antony who had pleaded with his father to come along.

The six canines had made great time on their trek to the warren, however there was a bleak aura hovering in the air that settled over the members of the pack. 

Each member could feel the tension coming from Julius as he trotted along in the snow.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by the others when Julius would take intermittent disdainful looks at the sky. It seemed that his mood darkened every time the clouds in the air would. 

It was clear that he would not be amenable to calling off this search for anything short of the worst possible conditions.

There was simply too much at stake.

This ‘desecrator’ had unified the pack more than ever, and Julius planned on utilizing this opportunity to solidify his power as the pack leader for years to come. 

Furthermore, Julius saw this hunt as the catalyst to bring Wolford into the pack. The whelp would finally be a strong, obedient member with potential. 

Julius could even see that when his eldest son Marcus would one day take over as the Alpha, Wolford would make an excellent Beta. The wolf was an outsider strong enough to take the position, but someone who was still seen as an adoptee. One that wouldn’t be as keen to challenge for the Alpha position, and would subsequently allow for his dynasty to continue after him.

The opportunity that this hunt provided was truly golden! 

However, if the hunt had to be called off for something as asinine as a blizzard… 

_ It could prove to be disastrous.  _ He growled lightly at the thought.

Wolford and a few others would likely push for a search at a later date, an impossible endeavor that he would have to put an end to… A decision that would likely cause division. Perhaps even enough to spur challenges to his leadership by Marcus, or Ancestors forbid, Brute.

That would be unacceptable.

Marcus may have been his eldest son, but Julius wasn’t about to give up his power to his highly opportunistic pup.

And Brute… although he had submitted to him last night, he had outright accepted Julius' challenge. 

Who’s to say that Brute wouldn’t want to try again?

Still, Julius could quell those issues with time and force and displays of dominance. 

To Julius, the long term problem would be the fate of Wolford if this Hunt failed. 

_ The whelp is still too sentimental. _

It was true, Wolford was in dire need to avenge Sapper. 

Julius could see that the whelp may even go to the extent of leaving the pack to do it. That would be a dangerous precedent, something the Alpha recognized as an unacceptable blot to his plans for the future.

This desecrator had given him a great opportunity, however, a sudden snowstorm would jeopardize all of that and may even bring unforeseen consequences to his leadership.

Because of that, it was imperative that they travel quickly and precisely to the scene of the desecration. And when the sight of a desolate warren and garden came into view, Julius swiftly began to take action, racing against the coming weather.

“Marcus, Antony, step forward my sons.”

Two wolves, one stout in figure and the other a bit smaller and more scrawny approached. 

One, Marcus, was strikingly similar to his father. 

The wolf had grey fur that was almost identical to the leader of the pack, (although he lacked the scars that marked his father.) Marcus was also a tad smaller than the Alpha but not by much, his frame spoke of power much like Julius’ and he had that same blistering hardness residing in his eyes… 

Eyes that displayed superiority, dominance and disdain for those that surrounded him… especially the scrawnier wolf that called him ‘brother.’

The wolf next to Marcus, Antony, was both younger and considerably smaller than his brother. Really, he was barely old enough to join this hunt, just a juvenile.

Antony’s fur was a light shade of white, from his tail all the way to his snout. He was much more relaxed in his features than either his elder brother or his father, a fact that was clearly evidenced by the youthful trust and naivety glowing within his eyes.

Looking at the three wolves, one would never suspect that the scrawny, white wolf had any familial relation with his brother or his father. There just weren’t any indicators for it. The juvenile lacked that same edged hardness found in Julius’ or Marcus’ eyes, and his relaxed demeanor was in great contrast to the firm, domineering stance of his father and challenging stance of his brother. 

Regardless of their differences, these wolves were a family, and their father had orders ready for his sons.

Julius’ maintained his strong stance as he looked at his oldest son,

“Marcus, my eldest, patrol the perimeter, do not hesitate to report back to me if you find  _ anything _ worth investigation.”

“You waste my talents on grunt work again, Father?”

Their eyes locked, the elder son refusing to submit to his father’s order.

A warning growl ripped from the throat of the Alpha, “I gave you what is suitable for this mission, and I will continue to give you what I deem fit for your talents, whelp.”

The Alpha’s hackles raised and his claws dug into the dirt threateningly. He was an unmoving rock that dared his pup to challenge him again.

A challenge that did not come. Marcus broke eye contact with the older wolf.

“I will not tolerate this behavior again, Marcus,” Julius growled, “Understood?”

There was a moment of hesitation from the younger grey wolf as he observed his father’s frame for any signs of weakness.

With a dismissive grunt, Marcus responded, “Understood.”

Julius continued burning holes in his eldest who had now averted his eyes from the leader. No more words were exchanged however.

As quickly as the confrontation had sprung up, it died. In its wake, was a deathly silence between all members of the hunting party. This wasn’t something one was to interrupt without consequence.

After a sufficient moment of asserting dominance towards his eldest, Julius turned his attention to his other son, Antony.

It was amazing to see the immediate difference in the Alpha’s demeanor. No longer was the leader in a dominant, intimidatory stance. Instead, it was a look that was rarely displayed by the Alpha: one of concern.

Julius gazed at his younger son, and for the first time on this trek his eyes softened and his voice spoke with a gentleness that an outsider would never had expected, 

“Antony, this is your first hunt, I expect you to stay with your brother and assist him in whatever he needs, you will obey him perfectly, understand?”

The smaller, white wolf quickly nodded to his father before stuttering out an earnest and endearing, “Yes sir, I will dad, I promise! Er… sir!” 

His words were so full of admiration that for just a mere second a ghost of a pleased smile appeared on Julius’ face before disappearing without a trace. 

Immediately after, the gruffness in Julius’ voice and the steel in his eyes returned as he looked to his eldest son again. 

“And Marcus,” There was a growl of warning in Julius’ voice, one that only the eldest son would understand: a warning that better not be crossed, “Watch over your brother… or there will be consequences.”

Marcus gave a hard look back at his father, A look that spoke of disdain at the order, but one that was followed by a nod of affirmation.

Julius frowned at his eldest son. If he had time he would have reprimanded his pup for his arrogant behavior. Marcus had been testing him recently, searching for weaknesses that would help find his way to pack leader much sooner than what Julius intended.

If it had been any other member of the pack there would have already been a demotion… But this wolf was his eldest and the one with the greatest potential to take over the dynasty. 

He’s the heir, and because of that Julius settled for strict disciplinary measures to whip his son back in shape… but so far, those measures hadn’t seemed to be effective enough. 

The older wolf would have to fix that.

But time was of the essence and Marcus’ behavior would have to be straightened out another time. 

Really, it wouldn’t have been as concerning if it wasn’t for the look he kept giving to his brother. Marcus’ belligerent behavior could be dealt with, but Julius always found his concern settling on the juvenile he sent with him.

Truth be told, if Antony hadn’t practically begged him, Julius wouldn’t have allowed the runt to join… 

But he loved his son. Regardless, if he would never admit to it.

Antony was weaker than most wolves, but the pup was obedient to him to a tee. And unlike Marcus, Antony gave full and utter respect to his father. It was a trait that made Julius truly feel that his younger son was special. It was rare for the pack to have one that tried as hard as the little wolf did.

When the runt had been born Julius had cared little for him, but as the days had gone on and Antony had so fervently tried to mimic and listen to his father, Julius had slowly begun to care for the boy.

What the pup lacked in direct strength he made up for in loyalty and effort. And that was something that Julius had always valued in those under his leadership. 

Perhaps that’s why the Alpha found him to be special.

And why he was both willing but still very hesitant to allow Antony to join.

The Alpha gave a watchful eye as his two very different sons began to trot around the edges of the clearing surrounding the burrow. Marcus leading, and Antony a few paces behind trying to keep up.

Julius let out a worried sigh for the younger pup, but now was not the time for his mind to give way to anxiety, nor would it ever be. As the leader he wouldn’t let that kind of sentimentality get to him. 

With both of his sons patrolling the edges of the forest, Julius blocked out his concerns and signaled for the rest of the pack to follow him to the burrow.

The whole location was a wreck as expected. The burrows were still dug up and destroyed, and the gardens in particular had taken even more damage since they had left. Wilting plants, and trampled grounds showing both the lack of upkeep as well as signs that various prey had raided the desolate warrens’ crops. 

“Brute,” Julius’ voice was stern as he dictated his order, “You and your mate investigate the gardens. Wolford- with me.”

More words weren’t needed, outside of Marcus, the rest of the pack simply wished to solve this mystery and satisfy the Honor Hunt.

Efficiently, the wolves broke up in their units of two, and now the investigation was officially underway.

While the two brothers patrolled the edges of the forest, Brute and Casius would search the gardens, and the leader and his pet project, Wolford, would investigate the scene of the crime.

It was often said that when wolves worked together they could take on even the mightiest of creatures, and what was this investigation but the earliest part of stalking their prey?

So it didn’t take long for progress to be made.

**-0-0-**

Julius stood at the bloody entrance of the rabbit burrow with Wolford by his side. 

Although he truly couldn’t care less about Sapper, the Alpha needed this mystery solved more than any other wolf here. He had the most at jeopardy if this hunt went poorly.

He had asked Wolford to give him the detailed account of when he had discovered the Omega’s corpse, and as expected the whelp’s descriptions matched perfectly to Brute’s initial reports… 

And that stuck out to him. 

Both wolves had described a trauma that had been too strange to have happened by mere incident or opportunity.

The Alpha ran the possibilities through his mind.

_ Scavengers with claws and teeth and perhaps serrated weapons wouldn’t have maimed a corpse as Wolford or Brute had described _ … 

_ And the desecrator didn’t scavenge the meat off his corpse…  _

_ Nor did they steal the personal effects from his body…  _

If this had been the work of opportunistic traders or hungry scavengers, Sapper’s body would have been sliced and torn and his loose clothing would have been taken. 

But that wasn’t the case.

The corpse had been hit with ‘puncture-like’ wounds, as Wolford had described to the leader.

Nothing from the natural arsenal of prey or predator could inflict that kind of damage, and the personal effects had apparently remained on the wolf… 

This was a strange case to Julius.

_ This wasn’t simple opportunism. _ The leader thought… 

If this had been a case of opportunity the body would have been looted, and if by another predator there would have been sections of flesh taken, neither of which happened.

_ But it was most definitely intentional…  _

This couldn’t have been written off as incidental.

This felt strangely… 

_ Sentimental…  _

Julius turned to Wolford. The leader had come to a conclusion… 

“This was a personal attack. One of passion, anger and  _ sentiment _ .” 

The last word was said with venom. To Julius, this was just another example of how such behavior could cause problems for a mammal. Just as sentiment could bring dissension in a pack, the dangerous feeling could just as easily bring trouble upon a mammal.

Wolford’s ears perked at Julius’ conclusion. 

“A personal attack, boss?” He questioned, trying to put together how that could be the case. 

“Whelp, you said the body had stab wounds on it… by something like  _ this _ ?” Julius replied as he picked up a nearby spear… 

**-0-0-**

While Wolford and Julius were putting together their clues, Brute and his mate, Casius, were coming to their own conclusions in the gardens. 

But their conversation had less to do with the current investigation, and more to do with the Alpha.

“I can’t say for sure, Casey. I believe that he murdered Sapper, I just don’t believe that he sees it that way.” 

“Brute, what you told me last night was enough already! And it doesn’t matter if  _ he _ sees it as wrong, it only matters that it was wrong!” The she-wolf responded. 

Brute looked at his beloved mate, the earnestness in her brown eyes matched his own. 

His mate had always been quick to speak her mind. 

The she-wolf had the softest brown fur and the eyes to match it, but Brute knew that despite her soft appearance she could be as tough as a bear. In fact, if they hadn’t been so taken with each other that they had become mates, Casius would’ve challenged him for Beta of the pack ages ago!

Brute sighed, “You’re right, Beloved, I just wish I had seen this coming. He’s my oldest of friends, and I-”

He suppressed his emotions the best he could, “I just don’t understand how I had been so blind to this… How I let my friend slip so far that he could have done this…”

Casius looked apologetically at her mate, “Brute, I’m sorry love, I know you’ve always been close, but ever since the Wolford clan had fallen so long ago, he’s just changed so much. Its not your fault, surely, you can see that.”

He knew it was true. So long now he had been the Beta, and sure Julius had always been strict and dominant, but ever since Wolford had come in… his friend had changed so much. Still, there were rare signs of the old Julius, like when he had seen his friend soften with young Antony. Those moments both gave Brute hope, and pained him at what he knew he would have to do to the Alpha… 

“You’re right, beloved, the only question is… How do we expose the truth?”

“I- I don’t know,” Casius answered honestly, “I’m thinking that we’ll know the right time when we see it. But we will have to be careful, the repercussions if we do this wrong…”

“Would be steep.” He finished for her. 

Indeed, it would be. The price would be blood, theirs specifically.

“We’ll just have to wait for the right moment.” Brute finished.

They would simply have to bide their time.

Brute hummed noncommittally, “There’s not much that we can do, but if that’s our best option then we’ll just have to be observan-”

As Brute spoke, a snowy fixture by the far side of the garden caught his eye. 

It appears that his observance was already paying off.

“Casey, take a look at this,” Brute said as he began padding towards the small, hidden shelter.

On closer inspection, it was nothing more than a small, snowy nook. Just something that was obviously constructed by kits.

But what was interesting about the hideout wasn’t the structure itself, but what was surrounding it. 

_ Pawprints. _

There were both small and larger rabbit prints inside and around the nook… rabbit prints that were frantic and some that even led towards the forest opposite of the burrows.

“Some of the long ears had gotten away, afterall.” Brute said before humming noncommittally. 

It wasn’t much, but this small discovery constituted itself as a clue, and although rabbits were an unlikely suspect, nothing could be ruled out.

Brute looked at his mate, and it was clear that she agreed that this warranted attention. So, with the information in paw, they padded the short distance to the warren.

As Brute and Casius approached, their ears perked at the conversation between Julius and Wolford.

“But boss!” Wolford began, voice unbelieving, “We wiped them out, h-how could that even be possible?!”

“Don’t question me whelp, the evidence is clear.” Julius responded in a disciplinary tone.

_ Now that’s interesting, _ Brute thought. 

It appeared that Julius had already come to his own conclusions on the matter of the desecrator. 

Brute chuckled,  _ I guess some things don’t change do they, old friend? _

Julius had always been a great hunter, and it was always a slight entertainment for the Beta to see those of the younger generation question that. 

Brute’s smile faded as he and his mate approached.  _ If only the scene wasn’t so tragically macabre. _

As they neared, Julius gave them a scrutinizing glare.

The Alpha wasted no time, “Status, Brute.” 

“I don’t believe it's much, old friend, we discovered evidence of surviving rabbits that must have escaped into the woods towards the far river.”

At Brute’s words, a look of disbelief settled over Wolford, “No way! We- we cleared them out!” The brown wolf muttered to himself.

A pleased look took over Julius, “Show me.” 

When Julius saw the nook, the frantic small paw prints inside, and the rushing, larger paw prints outside that faced towards the forest, he only grew more confident in his conclusions. 

And luckily, with the damp, cold, space of the snowy nook, a scent could be made out.

A scent that could be traced, along with any other signs to be seen in the forest.

And at the captured scents of rabbit, the Alpha let out a howl signaling to his sons to gather with the rest of the group… 

It didn’t take long for the sons to return, and when they were all together, Julius gave a wicked, venomous smile. The look of a feral animal closing in on their kill… 

“It appears that we have discovered the desecrator’s trail.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was ridiculously long and i will try not to do that again! Sorry.
> 
> Potato and carrot pancake recipe if anyone is curious: my recipes. com /recipe/ potato-carrot-pancakes-curry-sauce (just delete the spaces within the link)
> 
> A few words on grief: In children, grief can be so weird. When I was about ten my uncle passed away. Great guy. One moment my cousins (about 9 or 10) would be playing with us, the next they would break down in tears. Grief is so weird when it hits a kid. Terrible thing. But its still so true that kids need breaks from it, they just can't function in that constant sadness.
> 
> Also, what'd you think about the additional characters? Too many at once? A little late to be added? Or are they just right for the Hunt?


	19. The Coming Storm Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short separation causes Wolford to find an unexpected friend.  
> The pack come across a strange scene on the trail and are rethinking their strategy.  
> Nick reveals to Judy a little bit about his plans in case of a threat.

**The Coming Storm Part III**

- **Following the Trail: Approaching Noon** -

Wolford was following behind the rest of the pack as he vacantly paced along the trail.

The brown wolf had made it his goal to avenge his fallen friend. It was his job to restore Sapper’s honor the best he could and do whatever he could to show the Ancestor’s that his friend was worthy of acceptance… 

But at the moment his quest was feeling hollow and nigh impossible.

The brown wolf was holding a sharp, rabbit-sized stick firmly in his paws. 

To him, the item had been nothing more than a twig in his clutches, just a tool used by a lesser species. That was until Julius had made his analysis in their investigation.

Now he realized what he was holding was the weapon that had probably slain his friend. 

He stared at the fire-hardened tip of the spear. Crimson stains had soaked into the piece of timber, and because of its proximity from where Sapper had laid, it was likely the very same blood that belonged to him. 

His stomach turned as he peered at the cursed tool.

His paws gripped tightly around the wood, and before he knew it the weapon snapped in two and fell into the snow beneath him with a muffled thump. Wolford trudged forward, leaving the sticks as nothing more than a relic of the trail that would soon be covered by the oncoming storm.

_ These damn longears… _

They had taken away his friend. The first to call him by his name, the only to ever stand up on his behalf and the only one to suffer because of it. Sapper had endured so much just for his sake, and his reward was for his life to be unceremoniously cut short.

_ They had to fight back… They had to take you from me… they had to humiliate you…  _

Rabbits weren’t supposed to win. They weren’t supposed to be successful at anything. They were supposed to die for their sake. It was the natural way he had been taught.

But it didn’t play out that way. 

And now, after all the pain he had endured in his last moments, his friend’s suffering would continue. An afterlife marked by a dishonorable death and a bodily desecration from the lowliest of prey.

And that was what troubled the brown wolf now. Wolford embarked on this to avenge his friend and restore his honor, but now knowing that the desecrator was a lowly rabbit of all things… it made the Hunt feel so feeble and vain.

Sure, they would find the desecrator within the day, and yes, they would give it what it deserved, but what did that matter if it was only a little rabbit? 

_ Vengeance on food, how would this restore his honor?  _ He couldn’t mull past that terrible question.

He could take justice in his own paws, and he could pray for a thousand hours, but would it make a difference for his friend? Would the Ancestor’s ever accept Sapper now?

These thoughts harassed the brown wolf to no end. And perhaps that's why a slight whimper came from his muzzle. He hardly even registered the tears soaked into the fur underneath his eyes… 

_ I’m sorry, Sapper. I should’ve been there sooner. I should’ve stood up to Julius when he said to leave you after… but I- I felt so… powerless, I- I was just a little pup again and he- _

“Mr. Wolford, are you okay?” A young voice whispered.

He froze in his place, realizing that there was a witness to his emotional weakness. 

_ Dammit! _

He had been following behind the others on autopilot, and had momentarily lost control as he reflected on his friend… And now one of the others had caught him being a sentimental wreck.

_ Ancestors, I can’t let Julius know I’m losing it again, not now! Not during the hunt…  _

Wolford wiped the tear soaked spots under his eyes and straightened up as if nothing had happened. When he looked at the intruder, he came face to face with-

“Antony?”

The juvenile white wolf had apparently fallen back from the front and had made his way next to him. 

“What are you doing here?”

Wolford was taken aback by the presence of the scrawny canine. Him and Antony hadn’t ever really communicated before. The young wolf had always been skittish around most of the pack outside of his immediate family. And he had always stuck close to Sapper, someone that Julius would obviously not want his pup to hang around. Neither were too familiar with the other.

Bashfully, Antony answered the question, “I- I’m not very good at sniffin’ yet… and dad is busy and Marcus told me to stop getting in the way…” 

The juvenile’s voice tapered off as he gave a tentative look at the pack a short distance ahead of them.

Wolford followed the eyes of the younger wolf. They lingered on the Alpha leading at the front. The pack was moving fairly quickly ahead of them, a great contrast from how he had come to a dead stop when he discovered that Antony was next to him.

“That’s not what I’m asking, pup,” Wolford paused as he stared expectantly at the little wolf.

Antony was clearly confused by what the older wolf was getting at and didn’t know what to say.

The disoriented pup only served to frustrate Wolford further and he lost his temper, “Ancestors! Why are you bothering me, Antony?”

Wolford wasn’t intending to sound as harsh as he did, but he was also quite irritated in his emotional state. 

However, that didn’t soften the blow of his words, and just by looking at the younger wolf next to him, he would have thought he had crushed the juvenile’s dreams. 

Antony ears splayed to the side as he averted his eyes from the brown wolf. His tail tucked underneath his hind legs as he tried to speak, “I just- I mean, I…” 

Antony tensed and stumbled as he struggled to respond to such a harsh reaction to his presence. “I-I wanted… I wanted to say I’m sorry for what happened to your friend Mister Wolford…”

A sigh escaped the brown wolf. 

He really didn’t want to conversate right now, but at the same time this was a first. No other wolf had offered condolences to him. Even Brute, in all his talks of justice, hadn’t verbally offered this kind of condolence.

“Thanks, pup… that… that means something.” 

And with that small note of gratitude, the tension felt between the two thawed a little.

Silence fell between them as they slowly began following the trail of the group, relying mostly on Wolford’s noses to follow behind instead of actually watching the pack ahead of them. 

Wolford fell back into his thoughts as he walked on autopilot, setting his own slow pace. He didn’t realize the gap building between him and the rest of the pack, and little Antony just didn’t seem to care about it.

Honestly, the little wolf was happy walking next Mister Wolford. The brown wolf’s slow gate was easier to follow than the quicker pace of the pack, and the silence with Mister Wolford was much more pleasant than the open coldness Marcus would give him. But even better than both of those, Antony had seen Mister Wolford crying (not that he was happy about Wolford hurting.) He hadn’t ever seen another wolf cry before, and it made the little wolf want to stay near to him.

He felt… safe. Safe knowing that another wolf didn’t mind showing that kind of emotion. So, Antony was all too happy to walk silently with the older wolf, keeping pace and keeping quiet so Mister Wolford could think… Until he heard another whimper from his walking companion.

It only took that moment of silence for Wolford to be sucked back into his thoughts about his friend. The young wolf’s condolences for Sapper were quite disarming, and once the conversation subsided and Antony’s unassuming presence was forgotten, Wolford’s attention focused on the unfairness of what happened to his friend. 

Unconsciously, the water in his eyes built once again, and that ever-telling canine whimper came from his muzzle.

“Mister Wolford…”

And again his thoughts were broken once more by the younger wolf, and with a sigh, Wolford obliged the juvenile, 

“What is it, Antony?” He said with a slight bit of annoyance.

“Dad says I’m not allowed to show weakness…” 

Wolford’s ears perked at those words before he realized the wetness that had moistened his cheeks. Rapidly, he straightened his face and removed the evidence of tears.

_ Damnit! Hold it together, not in front of one of Julius’…  _

“I think dad’s right. He always is!” The little wolf proclaimed, “I have to be strong… especially since I’m smaller… but…” 

Antony turned to face Wolford, as they stopped again, “I don’t think being sad makes me weaker, though.”

Wolford gave a puzzled look to his new companion. __

The white wolf continued undeterred, “I think sometimes being sad makes me want to try harder! Like when Marcus calls me ‘ant’ because he thinks I’m small and not important… and it hurts a lot… but I know I can do anything he can do if I just try hard enough!”

Antony’s ears pinned back ever so slightly as his eyes focused on his brother in the distance, “I mean… even the little ants help their pack…” 

Wolford was confused at the scrawny wolf’s ramblings, “What are you talking about, pup?”

“I-” Antony glanced around to make sure no one else was listening, not that there would be, the long stops and slow pace of the two made sure of that. 

“Don’t tell dad or Marcus… but sometimes… I cry too!” Wolford's face was a mortified expression at the admission of crying and his inclusion by the little wolf, not that Antony noticed. 

The little wolf continued unabated, “But it doesn’t mean I’m weak… I think it just means I care, and I think I’m stronger because if I care… I won’t give up no matter what anyone says, just like you won’t give up for your friend!”

Antony offered a bright, hopeful smile to his brown companion.

If they hadn’t already stopped again, Wolford imagined he would be dead in his tracks at this juvenile’s speech.

_ Where the hell did he learn that from.  _ Was the first thing that came to Wolford’s brain.  _ It certainly wasn’t from the boss. _

Everything about Antony was the very definition of ‘sentiment,’ and knowing that this was the son of the cold and unmoving pack leader made Wolford reel. The brown wolf honestly didn't know what to say to that. And after an uncomfortable moment of silence, Antony couldn’t help but press Wolford to start functioning again.

Mister Wolford, a-are you okay? It won’t tell anyone you were cry-”

“I wasn’t crying, pup!” He asserted firmly. “I’m not weak like that! I don’t-” 

His voice died in his throat as he saw Antony’s reaction to his response. The happy wagging in Antony’s tail stopped immediately with those cruel words. His bright smile faded, and his voice crackled slightly as he answered back to Wolford, 

“Yeah…I guess you weren’t, sorry for thinking that, Mister Wolford.”

Antony wasn’t a stranger to rejection, his brother made sure he understood the concept better than most. That did nothing to ease the sting from what Wolford had just said. 

When he had seen how sad Wolford had been, the juvenile really thought that maybe him and Wolford could be friends… After all, Antony understood what it was like to be sad, and that made him want to reach out to the brown wolf.

But it looked like friendship was too much to hope for. The familiar word ‘ _ weak’ _ told him plenty of what the brown wolf thought about Antony for his emotions.

To Wolford, it felt almost tragic to witness the change in the younger wolf. A downtrodden countenance in great contrast from the highly sentimental, endearing pup just a second ago. 

_ Damnit.  _

Wolford hated seeing that change. Just a moment ago he wanted to be alone, but now… it almost physically hurt to see the light in the pup trampled by  _ his _ words. It made him feel dirty to have  _ crushed _ the happiness out of this juvenile. 

_ And for what? So I’m not ashamed that he saw a tear? I haven’t been ashamed about something like that since…  _

_ Since Julius _ … 

...Had renamed him Wolford… Trampled on his dreams,  _ crushed _ that little bit of light out of him as a pup… Back when he was just a juvenile… when he was just a little younger than Antony. 

_ Oh _ . 

It may have been just this single incident, but what Wolford was saying to Antony, wasn’t all that different from what Julius had always said to Wolford, 

_ ‘Tell me Wolford, are you weak?’ ‘Toughen up, whelp.’ ‘you’re too soft, if you want to be strong you have to let go of those weaker than you.’ _

Julius’ had always called Wolford weak and sentimental, and now he had inadvertently done the same thing to Julius’ son, who ironically was just as sentimental as himself.

The brown wolf sighed deeply at his situation. He wouldn’t leave it like this. 

_ I’m sorry, pup… _

“But if I had been crying,” Wolford started, “Just between you and me… maybe it wouldn’t have been a bad thing…”

White ears perked as Antony looked up at the brown wolf, shock filling his bright, naive eyes. 

A chipperness dared to inflect in his voice as he responded, “Y-yeah! I don’t think so either, it just means it's important to you!”

Wolford’s heart warmed at how quickly the pup springed back. He supposed he had to be that way with the stern members of his household.

_ Take every win you can get, I guess. _

_ “ _ You know what,  _ you got heart, pup.” _

Antony’s face turned quizzical, but the smile never left.

“I have heart, what does that mean?”

Wolford didn’t even realize he had said that out loud until Antony asked his question, he looked at the bright-eyed juvenile with sincerity,

“Oh, um, it means that you’re really strong right here.” Wolford replied while putting a clawed digit over the young wolf’s chest. “It means you’re tough and you'll do what you can for those you care about.”

“Woah!” Antony exclaimed, “Y-You really think I have heart?!” He tail wagged again with eager hope.

“Yeah, um, sure.” The brown wolf responded, puzzled at the growing excitement of his younger companion.

Antony lit up even further and before Wolford knew it, the juvenile grabbed him in a tight hug.

Wolford tensed at the sudden, unexpected interaction. 

Wolves… wolves really weren’t huggers. Outside of their immediate family it was considered a taboo, and especially in front of the others, and even more so during a mission…

For Wolford in particular, well, he hadn’t been hugged since…

_ When _ ? _ When was the last time I’ve been hugged by someone? _

Wolford’s shock stopped him from returning the hug, but the lack of response did nothing to stop Antony from holding on tighter, or rambling what was on his heart.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! I- I, Marcus said there isn’t anythin’ special about me, but- but you really think I have heart, Mister Wolford!?”

The young wolf held his arms tightly around the brown wolf, and Wolford could see that bright, endearing smile looking up at him.

It was contagious. 

Wolford smiled back at the smaller wolf, the juvenile's ear tips barely made it up to Wolford’s neck, and yet this display showed another kind of strength that Wolford hardly ever saw within the pack.

_ He really does have heart,  _

Wolford wasn’t having trouble believing that either, in fact he hadn’t felt this kind of heartfelt outpouring since…

_ Sapper. _

This pup may not have known it, but he’d been the first one to  _ really  _ reach out to him in such a way since his old friend had stuck his neck out for him when he was just a pup.

It was cathartic in a way. Sapper had befriended him when he was a pup and gave up everything because of it, now this pup seemed to want to befriend him even though he wouldn’t really gain anything… and quite possibly get in trouble for displaying such sentimental behavior.

The pup wasn’t the strongest, and he had his own problems, but that didn’t stop him from checking on someone who he saw was hurting even if it would cost him something to do it… 

And then it occurred to Wolford, 

_ He’s kinda like you, old friend. _

Sapper had given up everything on Wolford’s behalf… and this pup was putting himself on the line telling Wolford that he cries and by hugging him. In his own sentimental way, the pup was a lot like his old friend.

Wolford ruffled Antony’s head fur with his paw before giving the pup an affectionate pat on the back,

“Hell, you know what, pup,” Wolford began,

“What?” Antony asked looking up at the older wolf, still clinging to him with a grip that could match a bear’s.

“I think you have more heart than any other wolf I know.”

And the brown wolf meant it too. This pup made one hell of a first impression.

“Even… even more than Marcus?”

The brown wolf scoffed, but not at young Antony. That wolf had always been the cruelest to Sapper since he’d been demoted to Omega. Marcus used much of his time enforcing the tradition of the Omega being a ‘punching bag,’ and didn’t have a problem lording his rank over those beneath him. 

“Gotta have a heart to qualify for that, pup.”

Antony didn’t contest that.

The pup had a hopeful look in his eyes as he posed his next question,

“Do you… do you think that one day I can have even more heart than my dad?”

To Antony, there wasn’t a better wolf. He was so very different from his father, but he always looked up to him. His dad was a strong, inspiring leader who could take on anything. It also helped that he would keep his brother from harassing him whenever he noticed Marcus’ behavior.

The honest twinkling in the naive pup’s eyes were a reminder to Wolford how little Antony had really seen of his father outside of the family structures and the speeches to the camp. From what Wolford could tell, Julius was surprisingly kind to the runt. 

Still, that didn’t change his memories for the last several years… Julius and Marcus were equally heartless when it came to Sapper… And even though Julius was kind to the little wolf, ironically, Antony was also a victim thanks to the cruelty that the Alpha had passed down to Marcus.

But that was neither here nor there. Wolford wasn’t about to soil the juvenile’s moment, and he could tell Antony craved to hear the encouragement.

“You know what, pup, I think you just might have even more heart than both of them already.” 

“Woah, I- I don’t know about that… dad is soo strong! But- but thanks Mister Wolford.”

Judging by the wagging of his tail, The compliment meant a lot to the pup. 

“Well, we better get moving pup, we don’t want to get left beh- oh, well damn.”

Perhaps the emotional moment took a lot more time than they realized. The two wolves had fallen behind the rest of the pack… a lot. It wasn’t necessarily a big deal, but it was best they make it back before the pack finds anything of importance.

The two wolves began their way to regroup with the others, Wolford keeping the trot a bit slower so Antony could match his pace, and Antony’s ever continuous tail wagging remaining as happy as ever. 

**-0-0-**

As Wolford and Antony worked to catch up with the pack, the leaders of the Hunt had so far not taken note of their absence.

They had come across a sight far too interesting. A sight that held the attention of the four wolves present. Julius and Brute were investigating a scene most peculiar: they had found an end to the rabbit’s scent, but not necessarily the rabbit.

“It went up this tree?” Brute said contemplatively. “But why?”

The question didn’t hang in the air for long, however. The answer was close. So close that they could smell it. Literally.

Julius' nose twitched, a fading, iron scent clung in the air, “What is that, Brute?”

A unique, musky scent was present near the tree the rabbit had climbed on, but that wasn’t what first caught his nose’s attention. Slowly, he tracked the scent until his eyes locked on the telltale spots of crimson.

“Blood, old friend. It appears something found our rabbit before we did.” Brute said as he observed Julius’ tracking.

Julius grumbled at this. If they had tracked the desecrator all the way out here just to discover it had become another predator’s lunch, well… it wouldn’t go over well.

Julius followed the spatters of crimson over to another nearby pine. 

The bark had been stained with scarlet trails of the life giving substance, and a pool of congealed blood was present at its base. The smell of the rabbit was present here as well, but it was overpowered by the scent of iron, and the scent of… 

_ Musk. Fox musk.  _

Julius’ nose crinkled at the scent.  _ Disgusting, nasty creatures. _

“Tell me Brute, what do you see?” Julius asked his 2nd in command.

“By the smell of it, clearly the end of our rabbit trail is what I see.”

Julius hummed at this. The Beta may have been right. The smell of a vulpine overwhelmingly marked the tree, and the blood near and around it painted the story of a struggle: a confrontation that clearly ended awry for a mammal.

However, the scene wasn’t one that marked a fox’s ambush, and the scent of the rabbit in the tree was particularly astounding.

_ Why… Why would the longears leave the tree, and… and where are the remains… and the blood trail… it just ends right here? _

_ Something’s not right,  _ Julius concluded as he canvassed the scene. 

Something wasn’t adding up… and it was becoming clear that they needed to figure out what that something was.

_ We will need to do another investigation…  _ He sighed.

Their success as hunters had always been tied to preparation and teamwork. It was that same preparation that had so perfectly worked against the fledgling rabbit clan, and they would be damned if they didn’t adhere to that old wolven practice if a fox was involved.

But still… they didn’t have that luxury with a storm threatening them from overhead… Julius didn’t like the idea, but success required evolving tactics. 

_ We will simply have to adjust. _

“Marcus.” Julius called.

The eldest son wordlessly stepped forward to his father.

“As I recall, you requested earlier for something that ‘wasn’t a waste of your talents.’ It appears that we have the opportunity to see just how well of a leader and a listener you truly are.”

Marcus’ ears perked at that. “A test, father? You know I am more than capab-”

“You have already proven your capabilities as a hunter, Marcus. This will be different.”

Marcus bit his tongue at Julius’ blatant interruption. He was used to the cut-offs, and light tactics meant to assert dominance. And as much as they annoyed the eldest son, he knew he would have his chance to one day exploit his father’s weakness, and when that happened he would lead the pack.

Julius continued, “This will not be a difficult objective, but it will be an assignment that will require leadership, as well as the capability to listen. Can you handle that, whelp?”

To Marcus this was already sounding like a fool’s errand, albeit an unusual one. Still, he wanted to see where this would go, “I can.”

“Good. We need you and your brother to scout ahead. Follow the scent trail to its conclusion while the main group gets to the bottom of what happened here. However, you are _NOT_ to engage the target until the main team catches up with their findings.”

Brute nodded in agreement with the Alpha and tacked on his support for the idea, 

“Especially if foxes are involved, nasty tricksters! We need to understand just what we’re dealing with here before the assault.”

However, Marcus’ ideals differed greatly from both the Alpha and the Beta, “This sounds like another fool’s errand! How is Antony going to be of any use when we find them anyways?”

The growl from Julius snapped all attention to the pack leader. “Your  _ listening _ skills are already being put into question, whelp! If you cannot  _ lead _ the most obedient wolf in this pack, and if you cannot obey such a simple task yourself, then you will NEVER be fit as a leader.” 

Marcus withheld his own growl,  _ One day, father. One day. _

It was a mantra the wolf had been telling himself for a while now. He would lead this pack one day, it was  _ his _ birthright. And on that day, his father would be relegated to a lower position. It would be what was best for the pack, the strongest wolf could finally lead.

“Fine,” He answered sharply, “Me and… Antony… will do as you wish.” 

However, there was one part of the order the son wished to amend, “ Father if we are already there we should-”

“ _ No _ .” Julius cut him off.

The disdain in Marcus’ eyes surfaced at the abrupt answer, “You don’t even know wh-”

This time Brute was the one to stop Marcus in his tracks, “You were going to propose a preemptive strike without the pack, with limited information of the target, and no previous reconnaissance.”

Marcus’ ears pinned back. A united front. It was one thing to push at his father’s power, or Brute’s, but another thing altogether to push against both at the same time. He submitted to the order for now. 

Julius gave an affirmative nod to the Beta before he finished the argument, 

“Our hunts are successful because we work together, Marcus. When

we stalk our prey we take into account every available factor. Have you forgotten how we had scouted out the longears’ warrens?”

Marcus didn’t answer, but he very well knew that a scout from the pack had mapped out when the most rabbits would be outside, how they would defend themselves, and where to watch for stragglers trying to escape. 

“This is more serious now, foxes are trader animals, we aren’t aware of what crafts and traps he may have acquired. You will wait and observe, understand?”

With an unwilling resignation in his voice, Marcus posed his last question. 

“And the storm?”

The threateningly dark skies and uptick in wind, coupled with the need for this secondary investigation, was what was causing Julius to form this scouting party in the first place.

“Hopefully it won’t come to that, but if the storm is as severe as we anticipate it to be…” Julius thought it over, “then your  _ leadership _ will be paramount. It will be difficult but we will track your fresher scent for as long as we can, and if the trail is tarnished by the weather, then we will howl.”

Marcus lifted an eyebrow, “And you want us to return the howl? Won’t that give away our position to the prey, father?”

Julius gave a wicked grin to his son, “Whether we are hunting fox or rabbit, it will not be oblivious to the oncoming storm. It  _ WILL _ be holed up for this whiteout, resting in safety… If it panics and runs through the front then I expect you to embrace the targets’ efforts of escape with your teeth. If it cowers inside and waits to die, then I expect you and Antony to keep it company until we arrive.”

Julius’s face returned to its usual stern look, “However, that is the last resort. If the weather holds, then so do you. Understand?”

Marcus gave a terse nod to his father before they began ironing out the details of how he and Antony would proceed forward.

**-0-0-**

It was about this time in Marcus’ and Julius’ discussion that Casius noticed a few wolven figures slinking in behind her. She had stood off to the side, along with Marcus before he had been called forward. 

Julius and Brute had been hard at work following the trail, much too busy with the important scene before them to notice the wolves slinking behind. And Marcus simply hadn’t an interest in the two wolves in the back, both weren’t worth his time. That left Brute’s mate as the only one to really take note of their absence.

Casius had thought about voicing her concerns about the two’s ever slowing pace behind them, however she thought better of it. They had only been out of sight for a few minutes, and the two wolves wouldn’t have trouble catching up… Distracting Julius and her mate from making progress just to inform them of a short separation (that was likely just the two wolves stopping to relieve themselves) didn’t sound enticing.

“Where have you two been?” Casius whispered, relieved to see the two pack members back. “Julius is revising the hunting strategy.”

Wolford hesitated to answer, and instead focused on her latter statement. “Revising the strategy? What do you-”

If an answer from Casius was what Wolford and Antony wanted, that certainly wasn’t what they would receive as another voice interrupted Wolford’s questioning.

“Antony!” Julius called. “Come here, son.”

Antony tensed as he approached his brother and father. Marcus had an annoyed expression as he eyed his younger brother, and Julius maintained his normal dominant features.

The only thing that ran through the young juvenile’s mind was the thought that he might have disappointed his dad by trailing far behind the pack with Wolford… Surely, his father couldn’t know of the emotional moment him and Wolford shared, could he? He really hoped that wasn’t why his father had called him forward, he couldn’t think of anything worse than disappointing him… 

“Antony, you and Marcus will be scouting ahead for the pack.”

Ok, Antony could think of one thing worse than disappointing his father.

**At the Fox’s Den: The Afternoon**

Had today been easy for Nick?

Certainly not.

Had it been immensely fulfilling?

Yes. Absolutely, 100%

For the fox, how could it not be? Both sweet moments and sad ones filled the day so far, but each moment brought him and his new family closer together.

The day had started out really well. A wonderful morning where the fox woke up in a warm bed with all the bunnies that he loved. He had an amusingly fun and pleasant time teasing and conversing with  _ his _ special bunny when she woke up, and even had the chance to teach her a thing or two about cooking!

It was wonderful, it was great and it was his to enjoy.

But the happy moments weren’t the only ones that belonged to the fox. 

When it comes to your loved ones, you don’t only share in the easy, blissful moments, but the moments of stress, duress, pain and everything in between. 

It was a package deal, their burdens were his now too.

But the fox was more than willing to take those moments.

_ His _ family still felt the effects of having so much of their lives torn away from them, and it was only natural for the kits to fear what the future held. These things were hard to shoulder, but with the right words, a confession of love, and a desire to protect the kits and Judy, Nick put that concern to rest for the kits.

But that concern was still alive in Judy. 

Ever since the fox had mentioned a ‘plan’ she had been wondering just what the fox had that would be such a defense against anyone who would try to harm them. 

It was a question that was soon to be asked by the grey doe.

They had eaten a good lunch, and as per usual the kits had overindulged themselves… by a lot… And with the prospects of going outside nonexistent outside of bathroom breaks, the little ones had opted to go into food comas instead. 

Three little buns rested peacefully by the fire that had cooked their latest meals. The warmth offered by the gentle flames, the comfort of the siblings next to each other, and the fullness of their bellies ensured another sleepy moment for the kits.

And as they snoozed peacefully, Nick and Judy found themselves tidying up the aftermath of the kits’ messy eating.

“Well, Carrots. I think they’ve just about decimated my winter storage.” Nick said to Judy jokingly as he straightened up his sewing table that was cluttered with various scraps of vegetables. “I still don’t see how you bunnies can eat so much.”

Judy chuckled, “You should’ve seen them back in our gardens! Day after day, dad would have to shoo them out of the carrot patch,” The grey doe stood next to her vulpine companion, following his lead on the pick up, “They would’ve eaten the whole garden in a day if we’d have let them.”

Nick didn’t have a hard time believing that in the slightest. The life of a bunny kit wasn’t much different from the life of a fox kit. Eat a lot, sleep, play, eat a lot again, and enjoy the time you had with your family… 

So much of that was gone for them, a fact that saddened the fox, but one that made him want to try harder for them, and one that made it easy to let the kits enjoy their food comas. 

Nick gave a small smile to the sleeping kits resting by their newly discovered comfy spot by the fireplace. It was definitely a desire of his to let them enjoy their childhoods as much as possible. His had been snatched away, and the last thing he wanted for these kits was for that to happen to them as well.

The fox and rabbit continued their short cleaning spree, and after they had fixed it to their satisfaction, the two decided to sit next to each other at the sewing table. 

The space offered a nice view of the kits sleeping comfortably, a view that made Nick pull Judy to his side, “Hey Carrots, you did a good job today.”

Judy was getting used to the fox pulling her up to him. He had pulled her into his lap on several occasions in the past few days, she found herself leaning closer each time he did it.

She leaned into his tunic, searching out the familiar smell of violets, “You too, Slick.”

The two sat in companionable silence, enjoying the warmth from each other as well as the sweetness of watching the peaceful slumber of the kits. 

Judy didn’t desire to break up the tranquil moment, she wanted nothing more than to relax against him until the kits woke up with their second wind of energy. But she had a question for the fox, one that had been niggling at her mind since he had told them that he had a plan if something bad were to happen.

It wasn’t her fault for wanting to know, she had always been a doe of action, a scout with the desire to defend and protect. It wasn’t all that surprising when she broke the moment with her question,

“Nick, when we were talking to the kits this morning…”

The fox honed in on her tone, he already had a feeling where this was going.

“You said something about a plan…”

“Yes… I did say that. A secret plan.” The fox stood up from the table and padded to the other side of the den to where he kept his wintry supplies.

Judy wasn’t having that, though. She followed the fox to his enclave.

“Nick, I need to know what the plan is. If we’re ever in trouble I need to know everything I can do to help.”

Nick dug through the cluttered supplies in the wall, shuffling around the various items he had stored in the cubby hole. “C’mere, Carrots.”

“Nick, I’m not hungry, I need to know what the pla- wait what’s that?”

The fox gave her a small smile. “It’s  _ part _ of the plan, can’t you tell?”

The enclave held much of Nick’s supplies for the winter, so it only made sense that it was a large spot, but Judy hadn’t anticipated the room for a false entrance on the backing of the space. 

This was her first good look at where he kept his supplies, and taking a peak in the hole was something else.

“That’s… a tunnel?” 

He gave another small smile, “Dad always said you have to be prepared for whatever.”

She hadn’t expected another way out of his den, nowhere outside had she seen another entrance to it.

As if the fox knew what she was thinking, he began talking. He never was one for actual secrets, anyways.

“It goes out towards the river. Still have a bit of a run to reach it, but I figured if I was ever chased by something stronger than me, I could always swim across. Of course, it’s frozen right now, so it wouldn’t really wash away any of our scents, but it’s still the best option to get away…”

Judy was astounded by this revelation, “H-how did you…”

“Hide it? Since I don’t use it, it just kinda hides itself this time of year, plus, I stitched together a little covering to help conceal the outside. so unless you just know where it is…”

As shocked as Judy was about the secret exit, she still felt a bit… underwhelmed about Nick’s ‘plan.’ Even rabbits had multiple exits on their burrows… But that didn’t help her family… 

“Nick, this is good… But that’s not really a plan.”

“No, it’s not.” The fox agreed before digging back into his storage. He dug out various items, what looked to be smaller spears, presumably for fishing, bits of spare cloth, food, and something else… Something strange. 

“This is the plan.”

Judy had never seen such a thing before, whatever the fox was holding wasn’t a common item in nature. It appeared to be some sort of crude, clear container, and even stranger was the thick, viscous, purple liquid that shook around inside.

“Wh-what is that?

“Something I bought from a weasel years ago, still comes around once in a while to trade, really likes my stitch work, I guess.”

Nick held the bottle reverently in his paws, “He said it saved his life from a wolf attack before.”

Judy was already cautious of the item Nick was holding, “H-how do you know he was telling the truth?”

“Well, he’s not the nicest guy that’s for sure,” Nick started, “But he’s the leader of the biggest pred trading caravan in these parts. They call him the Duke of Trade. He might be kind of sleazy, but he doesn’t  _ outright _ lie about his merchandise.”

This was beginning to become a little much for Judy, but she still needed to know how this strange vial would help them fight off something as bad as a wolf attack. 

“Nick, how- what is this even supposed to do?”

“The Duke said it was a poison that’ll stop any predator in his tracks, from a weasel to a wolf. Real fast acting, apparently, says they won’t know what hit ‘em!” 

The fox handed the vial filled with the purple liquid to the rabbit,

“He calls it  **_Nighthowler._ ** ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I anticipate the next chapters to be easier to write than this one was, but hey, what do I know :) I hope to update this story quicker with the next chapter, but only time will tell!  
> Hope everyone is staying safe in this crazy world we're living in!
> 
> I was asked to put an expected update time for future chapters, I think the next one will be ready by the 21st. I hope that'll be accurate :)


	20. The Arriving Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A deeper look at Marcus, an investigation with surprising results... and for our fox and bunny... it appears that danger may have arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had made a prediction last week that I would have this chapter done by the 21st. It's the 22nd. Sorry! I don't think I'll ever be accurate with putting a date on the next updates.
> 
> Chapters 14-20 were grammatically and structurally revamped on 9/5/2020 The story is essentially the same, but it should be a lot less repetitive and much more palatable to read. Chapters 21-23 Will likely be the next revamps, but a date hasn't been set for that yet.

**The Arriving Storm**

- **Scouting Ahead: One Hour After Noon-**

It had been as soon as the main group was out of sight that Marcus had gone into overdrive chasing after the vapors of the trail. What at first seemed to have been two scents soon distinguished itself into three, two smells significantly weaker were that of rabbits, and another, the obvious, dominating musk of a fox.

Perhaps it was the musky vulpine scent that had originally distracted away from the scent of the third rabbit, the scent of other canines always took precedence over that of a prey, especially when it encroached on their territory… and right now the fox was encroaching on their Hunt. Or maybe it had been the iron scent of blood clouding out much of the newest interloper’s scent? Or maybe the smell of individuals of the same species were just harder to differentiate after mingling together for so much time? It couldn’t be said for sure, but the reasons were superfluous.

None of it mattered to Marcus.

The burly wolf only cared about one thing and one thing only: his singular objective to reach his target(s?) as quickly as possible.

And with that clear objective, the pace of the grey wolf had been rapid as it trailed the vulpine scent. Fox musk was a particularly strong smell, and it allowed for quick pacing while in route of their target. 

But the ever-present scent was only partly the reason for the wolf’s haste to reach his targets. Marcus had a desire that had to be satisfied, one that ached and nagged at him. 

He had to outdo his father. 

In his mind, there was only one thing that being slow would prove: his father  _ might  _ still be better than him. And that simply couldn’t be true, not with how his father was.

The wolf knew in his heart of hearts, from everything he had learned by watching the Alpha ever since he was just a pup… that his father’s strength and resolve was waning. He could see it as clear as day.

Marcus was well aware that he was less experienced than his old man, but he had already proven he was both stronger and more principled than any of the pack… 

He wasn’t a weakling like Sapper or the pathetic ant they call his brother. Marcus was naturally gifted as both a hunter and a fighter. And he was immunized from the desire to give in to weakness or sentimentality like Wolford had always been… 

And more recently… how his  _ father _ had been… 

How Julius couldn’t be aware of his own sentiment disgusted Marcus. 

The eldest son had proven time and again how effective and strong and unswayed he was, yet his father was blind to it, and paradoxically drawn to Antony.

It frustrated the elder brother to no end. What made Julius susceptible to such weakness was beyond him.

How could any wolf, let alone the Alpha, care about his ant of a brother? 

_ He’s NOT special, father. He’s the weakest of us all, always has been.  _

The anger within Marcus simmered beneath the surface as he followed the trail.

His father had taught him that sentiment was weakness, yet Julius himself partook in sentiment with the weakest of wolves! The hypocrisy didn’t sit well with Marcus, and when the eldest son grasped his father’s folly he could only come to one conclusion: 

_ Your weak, father. And you’re blind to it, _

Hypocritically, Julius could see the sentiment in Sapper, and Wolford and in any of the others, but not in himself.

If his father couldn’t see his own sentiment, then he was prone to weakness. And if he was weak how could he be trusted to lead?

It was up to the strong to displace the weak… It was up to Marcus.

_ I will not be seen as inferior, father…  _

Marcus would do what was necessary to expose the weakness that had taken root in the leader. 

He would PROVE to them ALL that his father had become too soft, that the old wolf was perpetuating weakness, and that the wolf that valued strength the most was himself! 

And the beginnings of such a plan had taken root in the eldest son’s mind. A plan that sprung forth from the very orders that he had been given by the wolf he sought to supplant. A plan that would involve the very mammals his father had sent him to.

But before that forming plan could be put into motion, Marcus had to focus on one thing. 

He had to be fast.

He  _ had _ to find the mammals before his father could catch up to him and take the reins of leadership again. 

Marcus knew he could handle this task all on his own. Afterall, the most  _ competent _ leader was in charge right now, and for once he had free reign.

This “mission,” originally what Marcus saw as a fool’s errand, could be an opportunity to show the whole group how he was a better leader than the Alpha… If his father wanted to give him a fool’s errand then Marcus would show the old wolf who the fool really was. 

Afterall, unlike Julius, he wasn’t clouded with sentiment. He wasn’t weak or compromised. 

Marcus knew best.

_ You’ll see, father… I am the superior leader! _

Indeed, he may not have his plan ironed out in its entirety, but he would show his father and the rest of the pack too… _ … Even _ if he had to be  _ disobedient _ to accomplish it. 

_ I will do this my way, and you will see…  _

Why would he follow Julius’ orders when the old wolf was compromised by sentiment? 

In Marcus’ mind, if his tactics proved to be superior to his father’s, then it would be much easier to challenge him. And if a challenge was in order, then perhaps he could expose and exploit the source of sentiment that weakened the Alpha… 

_ And then I will remove you. _

And it would surely all go well… He could accomplish anything with his strength alone. 

Marcus’ plan aligned with his skill set: He would dispatch whatever laid at the end of this trail.  _ He would vanquish the desecrator and every other mammal with it. _

There would be no wait, and his father and Brute will look foolish with their wasteful investigation and poor decisions. His tactics would be justified, he alone would be responsible for the success of this mission, and he would earn enough social capital to issue a weighty challenge to his father. 

_ You’ll be exposed and removed father, and the runt will make a fine Omega.  _

He could finally have his way. The wolf would really have to thank his father for the work that was ‘more suited to his talents.’

However there was one thing that was holding the self-confident wolf back, one that caused a mild growl from his throat.

_ How am I supposed to do anything with this pelt falling behind?! _ Marcus thought, as his ears keyed in on the strained breathing of his brother.

“Keep up, Whelp! I won’t have you jeopardize  _ my _ mission!” Marcus growled out, not bothering to stop his task as they trekked through the forest. 

The elder brother was already fed up with the weaker wolf. But it would do no good to leave him behind to tip off his father to his designs.

Antony was really trying, but this hunt, along with his brother, had begun to take its toll on him. 

It had been before dawn when the pack mobilized with only meager breaks in the action. And unlike the easygoing pace with Wolford, and the tolerable pace of the main group, his brother moved crazy fast, almost even frantically, only stopping to take in deeper whiffs of the fox’s scent before bolting in the direction he saw fit.

To make matters worse, when Antony did stick close to Marcus, the grey wolf would berate him for that too. It seemed to be an ever-present battle between him ’slowing them down’ and him ‘getting in the way,’ Antony wasn’t sure if he simply was just that bad at hunting or if there just was no pleasing his brother.

In short, the juvenile was exhausted. This was his first mission after all, and Marcus ensured to make it as physically and emotionally taxing as possible.

But that didn’t matter,  _ Julius _ placed Marcus in charge, and if his dad wanted him to follow his brother then he would do it. Marcus was in charge and he would obey him. 

The pup would never do anything that was against his father’s wishes.

_ Dad knows best. _ Antony told himself,  _ It’ll be okay _ ,  _ just trust dad. _

Even with that mantra, the juvenile wolf still couldn’t help but make an appeal to his brother.

Antony caught his breath as he responded, “I- I’m sorry, brother! Please, ca- can’t we just stop for a moment? Dad hadn’t stopped all morning and- and we’re moving so fast!”

“No, Ant.” Marcus growled out.

The little wolf shrinked at his unwanted nickname and the hateful tone of Marcus’ voice.

He wasn’t a stranger to his brother’s growl. It had always been cold, hurtful, and one that would mean finality. Marcus never left room for pleading or reason. 

_ But… but this feels different. _ Little Antony thought to himself.

The younger wolf could feel the fur on his back poof and his legs tense up, ready to spring away from the domineering wolf. Marcus’ voice had an edge to it that dared the little wolf to try him. One that said ‘give me an excuse.’ 

An excuse for what, Antony wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t enthusiastic to find out.

The juvenile momentarily wondered what it would be like to have a better nose, he wondered… if his nose was stronger, could he scent the fear emanating from his body?

A silent whine escaped Antony’s muzzle as he pressed forward chasing after the rapidly moving wolf. 

_ Just trust dad.  _ The young wolf kept telling himself.  _ Dad won't let anything ever happen to you ever. You know that. _

As the two wolves grew ever closer to their mystery mammals, the eldest could already taste his victory over the unfortunate creatures at the end of the trail. 

_ With any luck, it’ll be bloody. _

An all too familiar grin spread across his muzzle. He had his father’s smile.

**The Investigation: One Hour After Noon**

An orange clump of fur, sticky with congealed blood, was peeled from the snowy base of the tree. A scrutinous, intelligent eye stared it down. Another piece of the puzzle that didn’t fit in its place. 

The pack already knew that a fox had been present with a rabbit, and that there had been a confrontation gone awry… But why was it that rabbit fur had been sparse and clean while fox fur was clumped in blood? Why did the rabbit leave the safety of the tree? Why… why… why… 

They were questions that pointed towards an unlikely answer, one that the pack would soon have to swallow. 

Julius hummed at the discovered clue. “Perhaps not the necessary end of our rabbit, Brute.”

“I don’t follow, old friend.”

Julius grabbed the paw of the Beta and placed the sticky clump of fur in Brute’s palm. He gave it a quizzical look, before understanding appeared to dawn over him. 

“You think…” 

“So much evidence points towards it. It’s the only thing that I can say fits the picture.”

Casius and Wolford were watching closely at the two’s exchange. Wolford’s confusion helped hold his tongue. However Casius, being more outspoken than most, couldn’t help but inquire over their conversation.

“You two have been scanning over the scene for so long now, have you come to a conclusion?”

Julius didn’t turn to the lesser wolf. Indeed, even if it was one of his mates he wouldn’t bother to turn at such an impulsive interruption. To his credit, he didn’t discipline her like he would have if it had been Wolford or one of his sons or any other wolf. 

There was a different rule of tradition when it involved another one’s mate. 

Brute was both thankful and grieved by that gesture of restraint from the Alpha. He felt he knew his friend so little these days, and it both pleased him and hurt him to see the little sparks of the old wolf come through at moments like that. 

It would hurt when he would find the right moment to confront his friend.

Brute answered his mate. “This is the fox’s blood.”

Casius’ eyes widened, as well as Wolford’s. Perplexed didn’t describe their reactions, so much as it was disbelief.

Wolford spoke up now, “The fox’s blood? How could it be the fox’s blood?! His body is not here! Did something else…” 

His voice tapered as Julius turned to him. “Is it really that hard to believe, or are your opinions for Sapper so low that a fox couldn’t be injured by a longears as well?”

Wolford’s ears fell back against his skull, pained at such a reminder, but very careful to not be too sentimental in front of the other members.

And then there were moments of harshness that reminded the Beta of what had happened to his friend, and why he would have to be confronted. His friend, despite the bits of the old wolf that remained, was ultimately too cruel. And the Beta couldn’t bear the thought of losing another member because of it. 

Still, now was not the time for petty defense. They had to finish this hunt before things could be settled.

Brute hummed in, much gentler than that of Julius’ but holding a clinical air, “There’s no other predatory scents around, ...Wolford.” He almost choked using the brown wolf’s adopted name, “Only that of the redtail and longears. This was between them.”

Casius spoke again, “So the longears injured the fox…” 

The attention turned back to the Alpha as he took over,

“Its scent was up the tree.” Julius began as he walked back to their first clue. “And then it’s scent continued on the forest floor, but mingled with the fox and the blood.” The Alpha pointed at the faded splotches of crimson on the forest floor.

Wolford was in disbelief again. “It… the desecrator… jumped at the fox from the tree…” 

This time it was a statement not a question, as the brown wolf grasped what that meant.

“Not just jumped,” Casius added in her own wide-eyed way, “attacked.” 

The rabbit had initiated an assault. It had injured the fox. The fox had bled a good amount… 

Julius nodded as he followed the trail back to the tree where he had discovered the clump of matted, bloody fur. “The redtail retreated to this tree, presumably for stability to put up a defense.”

If it hadn’t been weird already, the leader’s next conclusion would be both cryptic and frustrating.

“But the defense was unneeded.” Ears perked at that. … “The rabbit spared the fox…”

There was a long pause as the other wolves mentally caught up to the leader’s words.

They wanted to ask why a rabbit of all things would spare a predator, let alone a fox and let alone after it had assaulted the nasty creature… But the reasons why weren’t something that could be figured out with accuracy. 

They held their tongues as the Alpha explained his conclusion.

“The blood stops here. There’s no corpse or evidence of death or consumption, no blood trail from this point on… but their scents continue on the trail… together.”

It just kept getting weirder and weirder.

“They left... “ Brute fished for the words that would describe what he thought the leader was saying, “...cooperatively.”

Julius snorted, “That I cannot say. But they did leave together, perhaps even side-by-side, after their altercation.”

The thought of something that could make the two put their differences aside seemed unlikely to any of the wolves, including Julius, but that was what they were facing.. 

Julius continued, “As it stands now, either mammal could be dead, but we need to go in ready to hunt either prey and perhaps even both.”

It was about as level headed a response anyone could expect from such a scenario, and at the very least they would go in ready for the possibility of rabbit spears, foxy tricks, or both.

The hunt seemed to be getting more and more complicated, but even so there wasn’t anything that Julius would allow to stop their progress-

… 

It was gentle as it fluttered down, barely anything of note by itself as the soft wind carried it along to land on the Alpha's nose before melting against the black appendage.

_ Snow. _

It wasn’t a rogue and lonely snowflake, but it was accompanied with a battalion of others. The wind was still deceptively soft, but the darkened clouds were beginning to drop a flurry.

It was only a matter of time before the winds would stiffen and carry in what each wolf was feeling: A blizzard; an eraser of trails that would force the end of the hunt.

Brute was the one to speak up first, “We’re running out of time, old friend.”

And indeed they were! The cusp of the storm had reached them, and if they delayed any longer, they would regret it.

The birth pangs of the snowstorm had reached them, and it wouldn’t take long for it to catch up to his sons as well. 

There wasn’t need for any more prodding or words, only a need to follow the Alpha as he caught the scent of his eldest son and chased after it with haste.

**At the Fox’s Den: An Hour and a Half After Noon**

Judy and Nick found themselves back at the sewing table. The strange vial had been put up as well as the other supplies Nick had dug through to reach it. The false wall behind the wintry storage enclave was replaced. It was as if it had never been opened. The unassuming space was already forgotten by the den encompassing the rabbits and ignored entirely by the fox. 

But not yet forgotten or ignored by the grey bunny.

The rabbit doe gave a meek glance to the wintry storage cabinet. Never would she have guessed of its contents, the fox had a plan as well as much faith in the strange vial of poison he had purchased. 

She looked back to the fox next to her. His tail had already found its way around her waist and she herself had pressed tightly against his side. This was their natural arrangement now, closeness desired by both the affectionate nature of the bunny and the formerly lonely fox.

_ Slick. _

His nickname frolicked about in her mind. He had earned it in both irony and literality. A fox that was smooth yet simultaneously so clumsy with his words, thoughts and mannerisms. He was kind and brave and loving to the point of fault, but also not always quick in his thinking. 

He was  _ Slick _ in her eyes for quite literally all of it. Because no matter what the fox did, he had this inherent trait that was altogether… 

_ Surprising _ _. _

He had surprised her again with what he had hidden in the wall. And just as she had found so many other things about him that she loved, so too did she love the surprising nature of the fox. 

To her, it felt like she had gained just a bit more of an honest closeness to the fox. Another part of himself that he had willingly opened up to her. Not something for the eyes of others, but for her eyes and them alone.

A soft smile stretched over her lips as she rubbed her head against the side of his tunic. A universal gesture of affection, one that made the fox’s body rumble with a light purr as he put his arm around her and squeezed her closer to his side.

This action wasn’t a surprise to the bunny, it was an arm she had hoped for when she sat by his side and cuddled to him. A russet forelimb that had an automatic way of wrapping itself around her, holding her with reassurance and comfort. 

It was another part of his charming slyness that she had grown possessive of. This fox was hers. He had confessed that he loved her, and granted she wasn’t sure just to what scope he meant that, she couldn’t help but know in her heart that she loved him too.

She had decided that she was his, and that meant, if he would allow it, he was hers. 

The possessive claim echoed in her mind,

_ My Sly fox… My Slick. _

Judy felt completely content. She had restored how they were sitting before they had discussed the matters of Nick’s ‘plan of action’, and this time she would revel in the scent of violets for as long as she pleased. 

...Or as long as the kits remained asleep in their mini-kerfluffle by the fireplace at least. 

So… for the next five minutes, more accurately.

The two contented mammals watched the lazy kits. Cotton, Ashes, and Ollie were still and quiet. 

Until they weren’t.

It started with the natural squirminess; small attempts to get more comfortable only to make themselves less so. Cotton was the worst offender of this of course, and this time poor Ashes would be victimized by her unconscious restlessness. 

The buck laid the stillest of them all, completely content in his slumber. He made a perfect, unmoving and defenseless target for the restless, thumping foot of the sandy brown doe. The padless hindlimb moved of its own accord, lightly striking against the young male’s side before increasing in both speed and power.

_ Thump, thump, thump,  _ Cotton’s foot went.

Brown eyes creaked open as the young buck suffered the unconscious assault of a hindpaw batter his waist and leg. Ashes was awake now, slowly registering what had brought him back to the realm of the living.

Judy and Nick chuckled from the table, enjoying the cute scene. But before the buck would have his chance of prematurely waking his two siblings, Judy padded up to the now awake kit lying on the floor of the den. 

It didn’t take much to figure out what she was about to do, and the young, groggy rabbit was perfectly happy with her offer. Silently he reached out his arms to be picked up by his oldest sister.

And Judy happily obliged, scooping the buck up into her arms to hold him.

Ashes was awake now, and that wasn’t about to change, but no rabbit kit could resist the opportunity to be held by the ones that loved him- not when they were prematurely awoken from a food coma.

Judy sat back next to the fox, Ashes comfortably clinging to her frame. He was sleepy but gradually perking up. 

“Hey, Mister Nick.” The buck greeted tiredly while looking up from Judy’s shoulder at the fox by her side.

“Hey, Grey.” The fox responded softly, reaching out to give a good scritch on the waking buck’s ears.

Judy felt the light thump of Ashes’ foot against her side, evidently showing that Nick hit just the right spot. 

Judy smiled. Nick was getting really good at finding ways of affection that the kits responded to the best. Little Cotton couldn’t resist the fox’s hugs, little Ollie of course loved being wrapped in his tail, and Ashes favored the scritching that Nick’s claws could give to his ears. Judy preferred all of them. But that was neither here nor there.

“What, no ‘hey’ for your sister?” Judy joked to the kit in her arms.

Ashes clutched his sister a little tighter, his way of offering her a hug, before yawning out an airy, “Hey Jude.” 

Judy gave a pleased hum at her brother. “That’s more like it.'' She said in a playful tone.

The buck nuzzled his face into her shoulder trying to recapture at least a fragment of his lost slumber that had been quite literally kicked out of him by little Cotton.

It was to no avail. And soon he began conversing with the fox sitting beside him.

“Can we really not go outside, Mister Nick?…” The buck asked, pouting evident in his facial features.

“Sorry Grey,” The fox began apologetically, “You know there’s a storm coming, a big one.”

“But…” The buck was always embarrassed over these matters. “I need to go…” He trailed off at the quizzical look from the fox staring back at him.

However, to the buck’s relief, Nick caught on to what the kit was asking. 

“Oh, um right…”

The matter of relieving oneself had been pretty easy for the fox and bunnies to adjust to, or at least it was until the fox insisted they stay shut in for the oncoming weather. 

Outside was the obvious answer for mammals who lived underground. For the last few days, Judy would take the girls, and Nick would take Ashes. It was the safest way, and the only agreeable solution for the kits. And up until now it had just been a detail of life for the bunnies and fox.

But now the option for the outdoors had been stripped away! And what were they to do? Use a bucket?

To Ashes’ complete and utter horror that was exactly what the fox suggested before walking to the supply enclave and retrieving such a device.

“Mister Nick! The buck was terrified at the thought, and no longer rested calmly in his sister’s arms. Any bit of sleepiness dissipated and now Ashes stood perfectly awake in the spot where the fox had previously sat. 

“I- I can’t!” He sputtered out. He attempted to whisper towards Nick, “There’s girls in here, I- I can’t.” His blush turned his grey fur as red as the fox’s fur.

It was a perfectly rational embarrassment for a little kit. The fox had been thinking in ways that suited a solitary fox, not a family of bunnies plus himself. And the more the fox thought about it, the more horrifying the prospect of such a thing was if he held himself to the same standard.

_ I need a larger den. _ It was an apparent realization that may have been able to provide the necessary privacy, but one that would do him no good at the moment. 

“Okay Grey,” He relented, a little pale at the massive oversight he had made. “Lets go outside, but if I even see as much as a snowflake we have to come back quick, okay?”

Judy chuckled at the fox’s serious demeanor, it was almost paternal and definitely edged the line of overprotective. 

But it was all out of worry and care. It was love.

She also noticed that his ears had turned red momentarily at the buck’s plea, and that fact didn’t escape her. And when it dawned on her just what the alternative was, she quickly made her own call of action,

“I’ll wake the girls while you two are out, we’ll go when you guys get back.”

Nick shook his head in agreement with the doe, still embarrassed over the topic. After repeating his warning to Grey about the storm, the fox and bunny buck made their way to the exit tunnel.

**-0-0-**

Nick’s head popped out of the entrance to his den. He gave his cautious stare into the woods that surrounded them. With great scrutiny and a gaze that lasted maybe a little too long, the fox observed the forest.

The fox loved rain and storms, but he was still aware of the dangers of them. He would rather not have to leave his den with an addition of his newfound family, not when the clouds were this dark and the wind was beginning to give a soft but very chilling breeze. 

Thundersnow was not a joke, and sudden whiteouts were dangerous, and the little rabbit’s fur wasn’t particularly thick. It was safe to say the fox was on edge, and although he doubted any other creature would bother them with such a storm on the cusp of breaking, Nick wasn't about to chance such a thing.

It looked clear from all angles, and the forest was deathly quiet around them. Nick wasn’t sure why but that bothered him the most, this kind of silence before the break of a storm was always present.

But silence like this also had this way to bring out that careful instinct within all animals, a feeling that it was too quiet.

The fox was just about satisfied with his inspection of his surroundings, but just before he made his move to leave the den his ear couldn’t help but flicker violently at some nearby sound. A twig snapped and crunched into the snow, and his head snapped in the direction of the offending noise.

...It was… nothing. Just nothing… Nothing he could see at least.

Silence followed after the snapping piece of timber.

Perhaps it was a limb falling from one of the trees? Likely. Limbs fell frequently and often made startling noises from their breaks. Still, the sound was… unexpected… Certainly explainable, but unexpected nonetheless.

Just a little something that was bothersome, but not necessarily concerning. 

And right now a more pressing issue was at hand.

“Mister Nick, please hurry!!!” Ashes spoke up desperately from behind the unmoving fox blocking the exit.

The fox’s attention broke from the surrounding trees and brush, and focused back on the distressed kit waiting not so patiently in the entrance tunnel. 

“Okay, Okay Grey,” Nick took the kit’s paw in his own and left the safety of the tunnel, “Just stay close to me…” Something was putting the fox on edge and he didn’t like it.

_ Is it the storm? _

The fox's attention turned towards the sky for a split second, before he felt the beckoning yank of the kit pull him to the nearest tree. 

His worries would have to wait.

This wasn’t the usual spot where they “did their business,” but this appeared to be an emergency. 

Nick wanted to chuckle at the grey buck, but did his best to remain respectful and looked away from the little one to give him his privacy. It wouldn’t do to tease the buck right now, that would only serve to increase their time out here.

The bothersome sound of the snapping twig plagued his mind.

_ Karma, why is that bothering me? _

The fox’s ears perked up again. Subtly, Nick turned his ears in the direction of where he had originally heard the sound of wood snapping. The fox wanted to turn his head, but something deep within him, perhaps his instincts, told him not to make his inquiry obvious.

He wanted nothing more than to be reassured that it was truly nothing, but the sound was eating him up. Why had it bothered him so badly? It was only a limb fall- 

It hadn’t been long before he heard another noise from the trees and brush. His hackles raised and his body went stiff. 

He understood now why the sound had bothered him so.

It was distant, it was muffled, it was attempting to hide itself.

But it was there… 

The sounds of indiscernible whispering.

The snapping twig hadn’t been a natural fall of a limb, but the telling crush of a stick by a foot.

Someone was out there.

They were  _ not _ alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the cliffhanger!  
> I think I'll have the next update a little faster than this last one. I'm hoping for before Saturday. We'll see:)


	21. The Heart of The Storm Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick had made a promise. He intends to keep it.

**The Heart of the Storm**

- **At The Fox’s Den: Two Hours After Noon** -

“You make me happy when skies are  _ grey _ !”

The little buck couldn’t help but begin singing his new favorite song as he finished up outside. Last night the poor little kit had been plagued with nightmares, but that had been soothed so much by the fox that stood with him… and now, when things weren’t feeling alright, when worry or fear crept in, little Ashes could simply sing that trouble away. 

Nevermind that he didn’t have the whole song down, nor did he always sing the lines in the right order, but that was okay, the lines he knew were plenty for him and the lines he didn’t know he could just hum through. Plus, that one catchy line of the chorus was enough to comfort him as he looked up at the scary black and grey clouds in the sky.

The buck sighed in relief as he pulled up his little scraps of clothing, that had been a close one! Ashes really appreciated that Nick let him go outside, he didn’t want to even think about having to go in a bucket! He also was glad that the fox never looked when he had to go, he gave a lot more privacy than bunnies were used to. 

But still, usually Mister Nick noticed when he was all done with his business.

But not this time, strangely. Mister Nick wasn’t cracking any jokes or teasing him, in fact he looked withdrawn, focused on something else entirely… and scared?

Why did Mister Nick look so frightened?

_ Do the clouds scare him too?  _ Little Ashes wondered, all too aware of how worried the fox had been about this storm.

The grey buck tugged on the side of the fox’s tunic, “M-Mister Nick? Is everything okay?”

Ashes didn’t expect to be scooped up into the fox’s arms, and as a result he let out a little ‘eep!’ before settling in Nick’s firm grasp. The tod placed him tightly against his chest, both arms wrapping around him protectively. It was obvious to little Ashes that something was really worrying Mister Nick. The kit could hear the pounding drum of a heart within the fox’s chest: the same kind of quick and heavy panic his own little heart had felt when he, Ollie and Cotton had fled from their home not so many days before.

Ashes didn’t like that, he didn’t like knowing how scared Mister Nick was of the clouds that were above him. But the little bunny knew what to do when another mammal was scared, the fox had taught him after all. And just like Mister Nick had sung to him the night before, the buck thought that maybe the little song that calmed him so much would help calm down his favorite red friend.

“You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away!”

Ashes only knew the chorus of the song, but he simply restarted the verse and sang it again and again. His singing voice was… what you’d expect from a little kit, uneven and a little tone deaf.

But that didn’t really matter, the heart rate of the fox was slowing and his attention slowly shifted to the bunny in his arms, or at least what attention wasn’t dedicated to the threat that sat in the brush perpendicular to them and the den’s entrance.

Ashes felt a warm, wet drip land on the top of his head, and when the kit looked up he could see how watery Mister Nick’s eyes were.

_ He’s crying… _ The little buck noticed.

“I love you too, Ashes.” The fox said softly to the bunny, tightening his grasp in a way that said he wouldn’t let the kit go without a fight.

Nick’s mind was struggling to stay in the now, however. The kit had struck something within him and… 

_ Why are you thinking about  _ **_that_ ** _ memory at a time like this? This isn’t the time… this isn’t the time… to…  _

But with his tears flowing and the kit held protectively in his arms starting to continue that oh so familiar song, and with his attention never fully taken off of the brush near him- the fox felt his mind force him back to an age oh so long ago.

**-0-0-**

_ “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey.” _

The red vixen kept up the tune as she gazed into the little emerald eyes that peered at her. It pained her to see those tear tracks that had dried in her little boy’s cheek fur. Even now her son struggled to stem the watery flow from his eyes.

_ “You’ll never know dear, how much I love you, please don't take my sunshine away.” _

The arms of the red kit were wrapped around his mother, clinging to her with everything he had. Vivian Wilde couldn’t help but note how strong his grip had gotten. She had mothered him for how long now? He was born nine winters ago, and it was the spring now, so…  _ just over nine years? _

“ _ I’ll always love you, and make you happy, I’ll pick you up when you’ve fallen down.” _

Her son, her precious little Nicky, was nine years old. Which meant that they had successfully sheltered him from the harsh reality of the world for nine years. It had been as difficult a feat as it was a foolish one for her and her mate to even attempt… They knew it had only been a matter of time until her sweet baby had to learn how cruel life could be, and as she sang to her sobbing boy, she couldn’t stave off the guilt in her own chest for letting today be that day.

_ If… If we had just told him… maybe… maybe he wouldn’t have found out like this…  _

She silently mourned over her son’s loss of innocence. His rose-colored glasses had been shattered. And although Nick didn’t understand why, he knew it had to do with what he was and those sharp tips at the end of his paws. 

Vivian could feel her husband’s calm rhythmic breathing behind her. John had pulled both her and their beloved son Nicholas into his lap the moment he came home and saw the sad state of his beloved mate and their weeping son. 

It didn’t take long for him to grasp the basics of what had happened earlier that day when he heard the mournful blubbering of his son… Oh it had been a pitiful thing to listen to, and immediately he understood just how bad of an idea it had been to shelter their boy so thoroughly from the facts of life. 

But he was the father of the family, and now wasn’t the time to mourn his mistakes, but to bring comfort and solidarity to his mate and his son. And like any Wilde worth his salt, John would be there for the ones he loved. He had taken that oath, after all.

Protectively, he held his mate in his arms as she held their son. As he held them, he silently admired the emotional strength that his mate had within her. He always held such pride for her, they truly made a great team. 

John gave a soft, comforting lick to the back of Vivian’s neck, his little way of letting her know he was there to support them both. His warm tail further testified to that reality as it coiled around them, creating that perfectly familiar and content cocoon that young Nick loved and enjoyed… and so desperately needed right now.

John listened to his mates singing and the slowly softening cries coming from his son. Nicholas was finally calming down from his sorrow, but even so, Vivian kept on singing, making sure he knew just how much he was loved. That was her one purpose right now, for her son to know that no matter how bad it seemed, he was loved.

_ “You turn the sky blue, when it is raining, you’ll always keep the sunshine around.” _

John smiled at that line, Oh how true it was. Nick was what made their sky blue, and he would do anything to cheer their son up. There was no illusion,  _ Nicholas is loved. _

And it was a given that his mate felt the same way, she wouldn’t let up her song until her baby felt better. John absolutely knew that she would sing to him until her throat was hoarse and dry and trying to close on her, and even then she would fight to keep going.

If Vivian could hear what her mate was thinking, she would agree. She would do anything for her precious little kit. Because… 

_ He’s everything that’s good in this world, everything that’s perfect and beautiful and true.  _

But the world wasn’t ready to see him that way. 

Indeed, she knew it may never be. And that's why she had to keep singing to him. Even if the world wasn’t ready to see him for the goodness in his heart, she would never  _ ever _ let that wonderful part of him die. 

No, She wouldn’t let him become callous and cruel like she had been before John. She-

“Mommy,” 

Her eyes focused on the kit in her grasp. Little Nicholas was finally ready to try to talk. She quieted her song as she placed a tender paw onto his back.

He didn’t flinch away from the paw, but he also couldn’t bear to look in his mother’s eyes anymore, he knew there would only be disappointment in him. So Instead, he found himself with his face pressed against her shoulder, and his nose inhaling that comforting scent only found from one’s mother.

His words were mumbled, unsure and still racked with sobs, “W-why di-did he, why did he run from me? W-why did he say I was… I was- a monster?” 

Vivian’s heart felt as if it was slashed to ribbons at his words, her baby’s voice was so small and wracked with guilt and hurt. But Nick continued before she had the chance to offer comfort.

“I’m not, mommy! I promise I’m-…” He buried his face deeper against her shoulder, hiding his face in shame. “...I’m not a monster…”

_ He thinks that I would think that about him? _

Her chest had a weight on it that had nothing to do with the kit pressed against her. Vivian let out a deep sigh as she thought back to the earlier incident.

-0-0-

She had taken Nick to the river that day. It was a happy occasion, a time where she would show her son how her and his father hunted on pleasantly warmer days like this. And since John was busy with that strange new ‘traders group’ today, the responsibility of catching dinner had fallen to her. 

Nick sat on the bank of the river as he watched his mother wade into the cool shallows of the spring waters. He watched in awe as his mom carried her sharpened stick (specially made for the large fish) into the water. Still, the little fox had seen his parents do this before, and as much as learning could be fun… the little fox wondered if there might be something more interesting he could get into. He turned his sights down the riverbank, wondering what other amazing things would come to it for fish and water. 

Vivian focused on the waters in front of her. Spearfishing was a tricky thing to learn, but the river offered a generous influx of fish during the spring. The fish were all of the same species and all swimming in one direction this time of year, and no matter the obstacles in front of them, they were compelled to follow their instincts and reach their spawning grounds. 

This was the perfect day for her son to develop such an important skill!

The vixen gave complete and utter concentration on the fish swimming in the river, keeping absolutely still as to not spook them from swimming out of her reach. It only took a moment for her to be seen as just another fixture in the stream, and soon enough she was all but ignored by the animals in water.

Vivian thrusted her spear into the clearness of the stream below, and with steady, experienced paws she easily scored a direct blow on the unsuspecting Atlantic Salmon beneath. 

Triumphantly she pulled the fish out of the water, and with the unfortunate creature still writhing on the spear, she turned to where her son sat, “See Nicky! That’s how we-” 

Vivian’s voice had died off quickly when she realized that she was alone. A wave of panic had struck her as immediately and as intensely as she had struck the fish dangling on her spear. It was a fear and anxiety that was as old as instinct itself. 

A worry that only a mother missing her child could experience. 

“NICKY!?” Vivian yelled, frantically looking in every direction. 

It had only taken three minutes, maybe four, for her to have speared that fish, and he had slipped off!

Her eyes frantically darted but she couldn’t find that familiar tinge of orange in the surrounding woods or in the river. Her baby, her child, her everything wasn’t with her; he was alone and out of sight in this forest and she had let it happen.

She threw her spear on the bank of the river as her panic gave way to a domineering motherly instinct. In the place where her son had sat to watch her, she dropped to all fours, sniffing intently at the silty dirt, willing her to find what she knew had to be there.

It hadn’t taken her long to get a hold of his violet scent. And tracking the wayward kit down wasn't proving to be difficult, not when his scent was so strongly imprinted in her mind… And luckily, her Nicky was making it very easy for her. He had stuck close to the banks of the river and had made his way towards… what looked like some waterlogged, wooden structure constructed out of limbs of all sizes, vegetation and mud.

And as she approached it, her ears perked, she could hear the excited voice of her son coming from the other side of the structure!

Relief swept over her. Nicky was nearby and he sounded just fine, he was-

“STAY BACK! STAY AWAY FROM ME!” 

It was a shaky, shrill voice, one that oozed absolute terror, and one that made her paws tense up. 

But that voice  _ wasn’t _ her son.

Vivian turned the corner of the wooden structure, and finally laid eyes on her kit. He was standing over another child at the base of the river, one that wasn’t a fox by any stretch of the means, but one that was clearly a large, buck toothed rodent of some kind. 

She could judge by the tiny mud and stick castle that stood next to the river’s edge that the kit must have been playing by the river when Nick had snuck up on him and introduced himself.

The beaver kit cowered underneath the fearsome predator that towered over him, his knees were of no use so close to the fox hovering above him and soon he found his clothing wet with both the river water underneath him and the urine that he couldn’t hold in after facing a strong wave of instinctual fear.

Even from her further distance she could see the complete and utter terror that the child had for her son, and if that wasn’t enough she could already smell the scent of what the beaver had released in his fear.

Vivian’s heart broke at the scene playing out in front of her, both for her son and the other kit. But she couldn’t move… she was racked with concern for her kit but couldn’t imagine how fearful the rodent would be if a much larger fox came lumbering in. She froze, she had seen that look of terror many a times before she had met John, a look that used to mean nothing to her but one that now crushed her heart with guilt- one that kept her from approaching any closer and pulling her son away from the terrified child.

Nick had froze too, he could only look in bewilderment at the cowering, shaky mammal lying in the river water.

Tears flowed from the woodchuck’s eyes, “Do-don’t hurt me!” He yelped as he continued his efforts to scoot away from the dangerous fox.

“W- What?” Nick was confused by the other kit's reaction, he wasn’t going to hurt anyone… Why would this kit think that he would? 

His tail lowered in between his legs and he pinned his ears back, hoping to calm the worked up rodent as he explained his intentions, “I- I just wanted to see if you wanted to play with-” 

The fox kit had unfortunately made the mistake of reaching his clawed paw out to the cowering beaver as he spoke… The piercing shriek of terror that resulted had been so loud that even cupping his little ears didn’t stop the ringing in his more sensitive ears.

“Stay back you  _ MONSTER!  _ GET AWAY FROM ME!!!” The kit threw little clumps of muddy sand at the fox, and continued screaming out as he scooted himself deeper into the water, “Y- you’re not gonna trick me f- fox! I‘ll never trust a monster like you!”

With a renewed vigor, the beaver kit had finally managed to push his body far enough into the river for the flow of the water to pull him to safety. And now, being fully back in his element he hastily swam to the watery entrance of the home made of wood, mud, and vegetation nearby. 

But the damage had been done. 

No, not to the beaver, but to the fox kit staring off at the water in front of him. The whole confrontation had lasted no longer than a minute, a long terrible minute that had felt like it sapped all the life out of the kit, but yes, only a minute.

Vivian… she… she could finally move, shaken out from that moment of paralysis. She had frozen when it mattered most… and now her son had paid for it.

She took quiet steps until she was almost right behind him.

“Nicky…” Her voice was almost as shaky as his little body, and her eyes were already becoming glassy at what she had let happen to her kit. 

He flinched, before realizing who it was that had called him. She sat on her knees and gently turned him around to face her… 

The first thing Nick noticed was how his mother’s eyes were full of tears. 

She had seen it all, he realized. She saw it  _ all _ , and now… Now he was ashamed. He had snuck away from her. He had just wanted to play, but all he had managed to do was scare his mother and that flattoothed kit so bad.

_ What did I do wrong? _

He didn’t know, but he knew it had been his fault.

And as a result, when his little green eyes met those scared, pitiable brown eyes of his mother, the shame that bloomed in his chest overwhelmed him. He knew he had just hurt her, and he knew he had hurt that other kit so much worse. The look in the rodent’s eyes as he had crawled into the water to get away from him had cut so deeply into his heart. 

And now, with a broken heart and a confused conscience, a terrifying question swept over the little fox… what that beaver had called him… _ a monster… was it true _ ?  __

His tail hung low between his legs, and his little frame shook like a leaf in a firm breeze. The only reprieve he felt came from the tight grasp that scooped him up. But even that couldn’t, stop the throbbing pain in his chest.

Vivian’s ears folded back as she carried her baby back to their den, between her son’s sobs and whimpers she could make out the most heartbreaking of whispers, “I’m not… I’m not… I’m not a…” 

-0-0-

Vivian gave a light kiss to the top of her son’s head. “No, you’re not a monster, Nicky.” She spoke softly into his ear, “You’re my son.”

He most definitely was not a monster, he was the furthest thing from that in this vixen’s eyes.  _ You’re beautiful, loving, and pure… Nothing like a monster, nothing like how I was…  _

It was John who comforted the little fox next. From behind them both, arms tightening ever so slightly around his two cherished loved ones, the reynard spoke, “That’s right Nicky, you’ve nothing to be ashamed of. You’re our son, a  _ Wilde _ , and there's nothin’ wrong with you.”

The little fox’s heart still hadn’t settled, he needed reassurance now more than ever, “Why… why did he…”

John sighed deeply, already knowing what his son would ask. They knew that one day they would have to give their son this talk. They had hoped to keep the kits innocence for as long as they could, but that had apparently been a poor idea. 

Now they had to come clean.

And so it was that John and Vivian gave Nicholas the truth. They were foxes, and foxes were predators, and most predators did unspeakably evil things to prey. And although they weren’t doing anything of the sort, they were a part of the group that hurts so many mammals.

They tried to break the truth delicately, but they knew they shouldn’t hold any of the cruelties of their kind back any further. 

So they told him everything. How predators would hunt prey for food, how most foxes would kill and eat creatures that were smaller than them, creatures that had families, and loved ones… and-

He didn’t need to know the details of that. And judging by the renewed shaking, this information had done enough to break the kit’s spirits.

“We… I-” He took a look at his paws, paying closer attention to the sharp tips at the end of his fingers. 

Had they always been so sharp? His stomach sickened as he remembered the terrified look of the woodchuck when he had reached out to it. He understood now why the kit had wet himself, why he had been so scared of him… 

Another tear ran down the little fox’s cheek as he began sobbing again, “I- I really am a m- monster…”

“NO.” Vivian had said that much quicker and louder than she should have, judging by the startled jump from her baby.

She calmed herself, and resettled the kit in her arms, making sure to rub her claws gently against his back in soothing circular patterns. She knew that little motion always relaxed her baby when he was feeling upset.

She tried again, much more softly this time, “No, you’re not a monster, sweetie. You’re my son, and you’re a good boy.” She tightened her grip around her baby, “You don’t want to hurt anyone, and that’s what makes the difference.”

“You’re mother’s right, son,” John untangled himself from his mate and kit before crawling out and sitting in front of them. He put one paw on his son’s back, and the other on his own chest. “It’s not what you are that defines you, but what’s right here.”

The little fox lifted his face from his mother’s shoulder and turned to look at the reynard. His ears were pinned back and his face was uncertain, but John could see that hopeful glint in those green eyes. It was that hope, that warmness and compassion in those verdant greens that defined his son, and when he saw it he couldn’t help but smile at his boy.

“The heart?” Nick questioned.

“Yep, that’s right. Nicky. It’s what’s in a mammal's heart that really defines them. Whether they be prey or predator, moose or bear, fox or rabbit. It doesn’t matter son, what matters is if they have a good heart.”

A slight whimper came from the young fox, “I- I wanna have a good heart, daddy.”

_ Oh, Nicky. Don’t you know?  _ John felt a bittersweetness at his son’s statement. Sweet because of how good of a heart his son had already, and bitter for how bad of a father he must be for allowing his son to go through such a thing.

_ How could I have let this happen? _ The reynard angrily thought. He frowned slightly, as he considered how he could make this better. As he racked his brain the older fox recalled what his father had taught him… 

_ The oath. _

The old family creed that had been passed to him and one that he now felt his son was ready for. 

A small, almost sad smile creeped onto John’s muzzle “Vivian, darling, I think today’s the day.” 

She looked at him with momentary confusion until she saw that small smile on her mate's muzzle. She knew what that smile meant, it was the same one he gave her when she had finally come to the realization that prey weren’t any different from them. She had been so sorrowful that day for what she had done… for who she had been… and yet so grateful for him to have shown her the truth, to have taught her that she could be better… needed to be better… that she was better… 

She had taken his family’s oath that very day, and soon after she claimed him to be her mate.

She returned his smile, 

“It's in the supply closet, my love. Top shelf, next to the winter garments.” 

John padded to their little closet in the wall, looking for the little article of clothing where his wife had directed. After a moment of shuffling around, he found what he was looking for. In his paws was a small neckerchief colored a deep shade of red and perfectly stitched together by his loving mate just the spring before.

He hadn’t intended to go through this ceremony for at least another year or two. He wanted his son to keep that childlike innocence as long as possible. But life had that way about it where all your plans and ideas are thrown out like trash. And here he was now, standing in front of his son, holding that specially made red neckerchief, and about to explain the weight of their family’s code of honor.

“Stand up Nicky.” The older fox softly ordered.

Nick looked back to his mother who still comfortingly had her arms wrapped around him. She only gave him an encouraging smile before she lifted him to his feet. 

Standing before his father, and with his mother’s comforting presence just behind him, Nick locked eyes with the older fox.

John had bent on one knee, matching the height of his son. The older vulpine’s eyes softened as he saw the uncertainty within his child’s verdant greens, “I know what it's like, Nicky.”

The little fox’s ears perked at that, but he said nothing, knowing that his dad was about to say a lot more.

“I know what it's like for others to think of you like you're some kind of… monster… They think the same about me, ya know. And your mother.”

If his intentions were to cheer the little fox up, it wasn’t working. Instead, it only made Nick sadder. It had been bad enough to think of himself as some kind of monster… but now his dad, the best mammal in the world, was seen as a monster too? 

“But you know what,” John continued, “It doesn’t matter what others think about us, what matters is what’s right here.” He placed a clawed digit over Nick’s heart. “What matters is that you be the best mammal you can be for the ones you love, and  _ always _ be there for them. _ No matter what. _ ”

Nick looked at his dad in wonder. He had always respected his father, but the moments where the reynard became this serious had a certain power to them that made the little fox stand in awe.

“When I was a little kit, just a bit older than you actually, my old dad gave me a talk a lot like the one I’m givin’ you. Said that it's a Wilde’s job to change what the world thinks about us.”

John paused for a moment, summoning those old words and ideas that had been imbued to him so long ago, “He had this idea… this dream, really… that one day, the world would come together and be worth something to all mammals. That preds and prey might even get along and life could be good for everyone.” 

That small, prideful smile snuck back on John’s muzzle, “An’ you know what son, as crazy as it sounds… I believed him.”

Nick was enthralled in his father’s speech, he hung on every word as his old dad grew more and more passionate.

“Still do believe it, ya know.” The flame in his eyes only grew, “He taught me that if we can do right by the ones we love, and try our best for them… then maybe one day, as that love grows and reaches more mammals, the world will change for the better…”

John let out a sad sigh, “But Nicky, that’ll be a long ways off, somethin’ that me and you will never see… But even so, we gotta  _ try _ to be that change so that one day the world will come together.” 

John sighed, “It won’t be easy Nick, but if you  _ want _ to have a good heart, then you’ll need to do that, to be there for the ones you love that change, and  _ to try _ .”

He gave a firm stare at his boy, “Do you want that son, do you want to try?”

To say that the kit’s heart was already in the right place was easy. That idea, that dream, a world where mammals of all kinds could get along spoke to him. A world where him and that beaver kit could play by the banks of the river without fear- he wanted that. 

“I- I do.”

“You Promise?” John asked, eyes locked on the verdant greens of his son. Nick already knew how much promises meant to his father. They weren’t something that you could just break, when you made a promise you had to keep it.

“Y-yes.”

“Then I think you’re ready to make that promise real.” John raised his right paw and gestured for Nick to do the same, “Repeat after me, Nicky.” 

“I, Nicholas Wilde,”

_ “I Nicholas Wilde,” _

“Promise to be brave,”

_ “Promise to be brave,” _

“Loyal, helpful,”

_ “Loyal, helpful”  _

“And trustworthy.”

_ “And trustworthy.” _

John smiled at his boy as he lowered his arm, “If you  _ be _ those four things, Nicky, then you’ll be able to say that you're doin’ what’s right for the ones you love. And if you  _ always _ do what's right for them, then you’ll  _ always _ have a good heart. And if you’re heart’s in the right place, then you can change the world.”

John handed the special neckerchief to his mate who was still sitting behind the little fox. Nick could feel his mother wrapping the little red bandana around his neck.

“Your mom made this just for this day.” John said fondly, “Whenever you’re unsure or you don’t know what to do, I want you to hold it close to you. Remember that we love you, and always,  _ always _ keep your promise.  _ No matter what _ .”

The young fox placed a tentative paw on the smooth linen of the fabric. He felt many things in that moment, he felt the weight of his responsibility to live up to, the trust that his parents placed in him, the pride of his family’s honor… 

But above all he felt  _ love _ . His own love that he had for his parents, and the unconditional love that his parents have given him.

Another tear ran down his cheek as he felt the unending extent of their love for him. 

“I- I love you, dad, I love you mom.” He choked out, overwhelmed by the affection and support that they gave him.  _ “I’ll keep my promise! I’ll keep it no matter what.” _

The young fox felt those tender paws of his mother grab him from behind and pull him back in her lap. His tears didn’t stand a chance as the vixen licked them away, banishing them with her smothering affection for her son.

He giggled as she held him down and took away those tears. He knew it was useless to try to escape when she had him like this, but that was okay. He didn’t want to leave. And soon enough the tears were gone without a trace.

Softly, Vivian looked her precious kit in the eyes,  _ “ _ I know you’ll keep your promise, sweetie. _ You can show the world that a fox can be more than what they see us as. Show them Nicky.” _

As he resettled in her arms, and as his father had reclaimed his own place and pulled his mate and son back into his grasp, Nick’s eyelids suddenly felt heavy. 

Slowly he began to drift to sleep as his mother started singing their favorite song… 

_ “ _ _ You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…” _

**-0-0-**

“You make me happy when skies are grey!” Ashes had gone through all the bits of the chorus he knew yet again, refusing to quell his honest singing until the fox wasn’t scared anymore.

For Nick, the little bunny’s song had brought back a memory that he had only briefly thought about when these little bunnies had told them of the horrific things that had led them to being out in the snow. It had been a memory that he had shoved out for so long and still hadn’t completely come to terms with, a painful recollection that had spoken of promises made to a family that had died so many years ago.

But a faded memory that now sharply contrasted into clarity within his mind. A reminder of a promise he had made… a promise that he had renewed for these little ones and for Judy. A promise that he would always be there for the ones he loved. No matter what.

This singing bunny, this little bundle of fluff and joy and everything that was pure and perfect… he had to protect him. Nick didn’t know what was in the brush to his left… But he had to get Ashes inside.

_ I won’t break my promise… I won’t let anything happen to you. _

Nick didn’t say a word, nor did he let the soreness in his injured thigh have a say in what he was going to do.

The fox only had a singular thought at the moment.

_ Get him inside now. _

He was going to make a run for it, a mad dash. He would throw Ashes as deeply into the entrance tunnel as he could and then he would go in behind him. It was a simple plan, he only hoped his leg wouldn't slow him down too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Already partially done with the next chapter! it hinges quite a bit on this one and was originally intended all to be one chapter... but I didn't want to post a 14k-15k chapter.  
> Anyways, I definitely won't be posting expected update times any further. just like college, when there's a time attached all of a sudden I don't want to work on it until the night before :/
> 
> Hope everyone is having a good day :)


	22. The Heart of The Storm Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus and Antony appeared to have stumbled upon just what they were looking for, but as they observe, many things occur to Marcus. Light is shed on the wolven doctrine of sentiment as well as what exactly happened to the Wolford clan and just why Marcus needs to take over the pack.
> 
> The hunt is on. The storm is cracking, and just what is going to happen to our beloved fox and his new family?

**The Heart of The Storm Part II**

**Watching the Fox’s Den: A Few Minutes Earlier…**

It had been nothing short of Ancestral providence that the two wolves had arrived at the same time that their target had chosen to exit it’s den. Clearly the Ancestors thought it just as necessary for Marcus to take control of the pack as he did.

But even the Ancestor’s couldn’t account for the sheer amount of incompetence from his younger brother.

Marcus bit his tongue hard enough to not only prevent himself from growling when Antony had stepped on that branch, but even to the point that he could taste the iron flavor of his own blood. 

Both of the wolves had frozen in place after the loud crunch of the crushed stick filled the air.

The moment had felt like a lifetime, both wolves were crouching on all fours and perfectly still behind the brush that concealed them. Marcus’ hackles were raised, and his shoulders were tense… if the fox went back into the hole, he would hold Antony personally accountable, and as the leader he would punish the small wolf however he saw fit… Namely, severely.

Judging by the fearful, cautious expression that exuded from the little wolf’s features, the runt understood that fact just as well as he understood how vindictive Marcus could be to those who got in his way… 

Luckily for the scrawny, white juvenile, the redtail looked to be choosing to brave the sound and venture out of its hole, although it seemed to do so much more reluctantly. 

Marcus contemplated how he would have proceeded if the fox hadn’t discredited that loud, idiotic blunder… Perhaps he would have forced the little runt to dig the fox’s den up by himself as punishment while he bellowed orders and heaped abuse on the inferior canine, the idea held a strong appeal to the older brother… More likely however, Marcus wouldn’t have had that amount of patience, and would teach his inept sibling a lesson in humiliation with his own bare paws. 

Marcus shook the hypothetical scenarios from his mind, the fox  _ was _ indeed departing from its home, and that was what he needed to focus on right now.

The grey wolf internally sighed, although the tired relief didn’t carry over to his outer features. He was thankful this stroke of providence didn’t go to waste due to the runt’s error. Even talented, experienced hunters like himself knew that the slightest of advantages or disadvantages could make the difference in a hunt’s success. It wouldn’t have boded well for the little wolf to once again prove how damaging he was to the pack’s overall ability. 

Marcus’ teeth ran over the fresh spot he had bitten in his tongue. The iron flavor produced was doing wonders for soothing the grey wolf’s fury at his brother, serving as both a small foretaste of the mammals in front of him as well as the political victory that would be achieved when his plan was proven superior. 

Honestly, the grey wolf looked forward to dethroning the compromised, soft Julius more than the taste of the kills he would soon have. (Although, he still very much valued his successful hunts since they had their own little way of demonstrating his value, strength, and superiority in the pack.)

Both wolves were on all fours behind the layers of brush concealing them. Silently they watched, crouched in their feral ambush positions, observing the fox crawling out of its den. 

Antony had finally turned his focus towards the fox as well, mimicking the observant look that his brother had. Although, he still kept a part of his attention on the burly, grey wolf next to him while wisely keeping a short space between them.

Their ears instinctively perked up at the sound of the slight crunch of snow when the fox cautiously crawled out of its den. 

A slight smirk could be found on the older brother as it became clear that the fox would be taking a trek out of its hole. Although, his smirk lessened ever so slightly when the fox looked like it would be taking a perpendicular route from where they were positioned.

If the redtail had chosen to trek towards them he would have had the luxury of pouncing from right where they were positioned, and if it had chosen to go the opposite direction, he could ensure that the fox wouldn’t attempt to retreat back to its hole. (What prey would run directly to its charging predator?) Both would have sealed the redtail’s fate. 

Marcus gave another internal sigh at the fox’s chosen direction, supposing the Ancestors wouldn’t want to just give him the victory. Still, that sigh gave way once again to a wicked, confident grin. He was a skilled hunter after all, and it wouldn’t be the most challenging task for someone of his caliber to cut off the prey from the safety of its home, even from this distance. 

His grin widened as he mentally reminisced about his last hunt. Cutting off this fox wouldn’t prove to be any more difficult than when his father had tasked him with routing the longears from their warrens not too many days before. 

He had been proud of that accomplishment. 

For so long Marcus had been positioned as a front line digger in the pack, (one that sieged and dug the prey from their encampments,) it had been nice for his father to have finally recognized that his talents extended much further than that.. Routing the longears from their warren had been another great display of his superiority in the pack, and as if the Ancestors were highlighting just how successful of a warrior Marcus was, Sapper had failed miserably in the same front line position that he had so faithfully carried out since he was a juvenile.

But Marcus’ moment of anticipatory and reminiscent glee was soon replaced by confusion.

“Is that a longears following the redtail?” Antony asked in clear astonishment while daring to inch a little closer to whisper his question to Marcus. 

The grey wolf pointedly shoved his little brother’s muzzle away when he felt the breath of the scrawny wolf against his fur. But once that slight annoyance was taken care of, Marcus’ vision narrowed in on the peculiarity that Antony had pointed out.

He frowned. To the grey wolf’s surprise, the whelp wasn’t mistaken. He mentally cursed for allowing his excitement to let his inferior wolf notice something before he did. 

That wouldn’t be something he would allow to happen again.

Marcus narrowed his eyes at the grey patch of fur covered in frayed linen scrap. Indeed, a very small bunny was exiting behind the fox. 

_ Ancestors, what the Hell is that longears doing- _

Marcus’ eyes widened in shock before he quickly stifled his surprise. He watched as the little bunny jumped up at the fox’s paw and quickly snagged it with it’s own. Frantically, the little longears tried to drag the redtail to the nearest of trees and brush. 

For a second, the grey wolf lost his hardened composure when the redtail indulged the diminutive prey and followed it along.

Marcus couldn’t stop his eyebrows from furrowing at the scene playing out in front of him, and for a moment his plan of attack was forgotten; derailed by the strange scene he was witnessing.

With confusion so clearly muddying his plans, Marcus began to absorb every minute detail he could of the scene to attempt to regain his grasp of what was happening.

He gave a critical eye first to the clothing of the fox. The creature wore a well-stitched, linen-based, grey covering. 

_ Materials not out of place from the trades.  _ The grey wolf noted, a frown now tugging on his muzzle.

It was a fact that annoyed him, knowing that Brute had surmised as much, and had used said fact to back up his father’s ‘no-attack’ order… (Not that it would stop Marcus’ plan to grab power. As knowledgeable as Brute was, the black wolf had a bad habit of underestimating Marcus' abilities, a fact that he didn’t overlook.)

His hardened stare settled back on the little bunny yanking the fox towards the tree. Marcus knew he had scented bunnies along with the fox’s trail, but he had figured that they would have been… well,  _ digested _ by now… especially considering the amount of blood back where the pack had stayed to investigate. 

It was a strange occurrence that prevented him from putting two and two together, and with the wind blowing firmly at his back he knew he wouldn’t be able to confirm if this had been a scent from the trail or not. Unable to confirm that only increased Marcus’ many questions he had yet to have answered:

Why are there rabbits still alive? 

What is the fox letting it pull him around?

Is this one of the rabbits that he had scented on the trail? 

How many rabbits are with this fox?

Are they related to the same warrens that they had destroyed?

If this rabbit is alive then was the desecrator still alive too and was it here? 

For a second, the wolf’s mind told him that the investigation that his father had chosen to do looked like it had a lot more merit than he originally thought. 

It was an idea that soured his mood further, and one that he discarded quickly. He wasn’t about to entertain the motion that the Alpha may have been right.

Marcus internally sighed again. These were answers he wouldn’t find by staring at his targets… 

but even so that’s what he continued to do. 

It was simply too strange of a scene and one that kept both Marcus and his brother captivated. There was something about these two mammals that kept the grey wolf from concentrating on his ambush.

Silent bafflement reigned supreme as the diminutive longears and the redtail stopped at the nearest of trees to their den. It was obvious now why they had come out, the little one clearly needing to relieve itself… 

Attacking now would be the most efficient time, this was the most compromising moment that a prey could be in. But even so… The elder wolf found himself captivated by the mannerisms of the two mammals in front of him.

Curiosity tugged at the grey wolf’s mind, as he found a familiarity to their behaviors. He had never seen these mammals in his life, yet he felt like he had witnessed their actions play out all too often.

His ears fluttered as they strained to listen to the two very different mammals talk to each other. He caught little moments of friendly chatter before the fox had turned away allowing the little bunny some privacy while it did its business.

Again, Marcus’ eyebrows furrowed. He couldn’t comprehend why this fox had kept this bunny around and why it currently seemed to be allowing it so much privacy and freedom. 

_ Why is it not watching its prey, doesn’t it know it could run?  _

The sight was both the most otherworldly incident he had ever seen… and yet again, it felt all too familiar to him. 

It was an irritating feeling to the wolf, something about these two mammals stirred a confusing, angry feeling within him. A chip on his shoulder.

He studied the actions of the redtail intently before considering how it had behaved towards the bunny as it had left its den. 

The red canine had been  _ friendly _ to the bunny, it had worn a cautious wary expression that didn’t seem to be for its own safety but for the small rabbit, and it had indulged the tiny creature as it pulled at the redtail to follow it to the trees. 

It all seemed so… so…

_ Sentimental. _

Marcus frowned as he realized he had indeed seen this scene before. It wasn’t a conclusion that Marcus would come up with if he hadn’t experienced it himself so long ago when Julius had been a much different wolf… 

back before word of what happened to the Wolford clan… 

What Marcus had come to realize about this fox and rabbit was that this wasn’t an interaction between predator and prey. 

Their behaviors were nothing of that sort. What he had witnessed was sentiment. This fox and rabbit’s relationship was far more friendly… even  _ familial… _

This fox and bunny were… well, he didn’t know what to call it exactly, but it did enough to anger the grey wolf.

That anger only steepened as an old memory tugged at Marcus’ mind. 

For just a moment the grey wolf didn’t see a rabbit and fox in front of him, but something far different. A little grey pup chasing after a much larger grey wolf’s tail. A little pup that was chatting happily with the scarred older wolf while trying to snatch the bigger mammal’s fluffy appendage. Marcus remembered how the little grey pup always liked to try to hold onto the older wolf’s tail so he could be dragged behind wherever the bigger wolf went.

Marcus shook his head in frustration to remove the unsavory memory from his mind. 

That had been an age he was glad was over. An age that Julius had thankfully wised up to, shortly after word of what happened to the Wolford clan had reached them and later when that damned sentimental Wolford came crawling to the pack for help.

But that unwanted memory, as much as Marcus wished it had stayed locked up, explained exactly why the fox and bunny were so familiar and friendly with each other…

_ The redtail has made it its… its-  _ Marcus didn’t dare call the little food source the fox’s son, he wouldn’t even allow himself to entertain that thought… but he imagined that the redtail might be willing to think of it as such.

Still, at this revelation, the grey wolf had an idea of the foolishness that had come over the fox. An understanding that the little predator had succumbed to an idiocy that the foolish redtail’s parents should have had rooted out of it as a pup. Just like Julius had done for him and for the pack… 

_ Most of the pack. _

An incensed fire smoldered in the grey wolf’s eyes. __

_ Sentimental redtail… Were you so weak that you had to stoop to a tiny longear’s level? _

Marcus understood now that the fox had taken pity on a bunny, one of the lowliest of prey.

It was easy to see that the redtail’s weakness had caused it to break the natural order of things. Marcus could see that its sentiment had taken control of the fox to such a degree that it was to the point of upsetting the structured order of things that the Ancestral mammals had worked so hard to sustain. This fox was allowing its emotions to rule its life to where it had found value in the weakest of creatures… 

_ A dangerous trap for you to fall into, foolish redtail. _

Indeed, to Marcus it was the most dangerous of traps for predators. He recalled how this was the same idealistic rot that led to the inevitable infighting among their own kind. The same rot that had the capability to destroy clans and packs and tribes of predators when this idea became to pervasive 

Marcus was witnessing everything he was warned against for so long, 

_ Sentiment…  _

No, not just sentiment. This was sentiment brought to its logical extreme. Sentiment that had been left to fester and grow and bloom into its most potent of forms… 

_ Empathy. _

The word caused a disapproving frown to cross Marcus’ lips. It was taboo to even voice such a word in the pack… And here he was, witnessing it. 

To see it happening emphasized the dangers that it presented… Ultimately, this was why sentiment was rooted out of wolves, to see others as the same as them would spell disaster for their way of life, their culture… and quite possibly their species. Bleeding heart predators like this fox only sowed division and caused others to think of prey as something other than their food source. Marcus recognized that it was this sentimental falsehood that would leave their kind divided, powerless, and practically in  _ famine _ .

These facts were set in stone by the Ancestors, and proven in his own lifetime by the fate of another clan’s folly, one that he had seen the effects of first hand when Wolford had come crawling to their pack. 

There was only one conclusion for Marcus as he stared daggers at the fox.

_ The world must be rid of predators like you.  _

If the pack was to remain safe, it would need to be protected from creatures like this fox and rabbit. It appeared that his plan to subvert his father’s authority only felt more vindicated as he observed two mammals.

But as Marcus watched the vulpine standing protectively near the bunny, Marcus’ mind conjured a new scene.

Images of a grey wolf just a little larger than himself standing protectively over a much smaller, pup. But this time the pup wasn’t a shade of grey like his own fur, but a bright shade of white. The small pup was clearly a runt, yet without a care in the world it crawled around in the pawprints of the larger wolf nearby. The pup looked to be carefree in its endeavors to mimic the pawprints of the larger grey wolf nearby. It was happily playing about while the scarred, larger canine hung nearby, silently guarding the far weaker canine… with the slightest of smiles on its muzzle.

Marcus’ lip stiffened at the conjured image superimposing over the bunny and fox. 

_ How could it be? _ How could it be that these two unknown lesser mammals could cast a light on his own pack, how was it that when Marcus was looking at this fox and bunny that he saw  _ Julius _ and  _ Antony _ ? 

Unsettled by this new insight, Marcus grasped for answers as he watched his targets.

His eyes rested back on the small bunny. It was unbelievably tiny, undoubtedly weak and undeniably unable to fend for itself, yet it had a lax, naive and carefree nature that hung over it. 

Everything that he could glean from its features only increased his disdain for the little mammal.

His eyes turned back to the red fox. It stood protectively near the weak, defenseless rabbit. Focused, intent, and ready to take on anything that came out from the woods around it. It was especially on guard, but not for itself… but for the little longears, clearly ready to snatch the rabbit up and do what it could for the little creature's safety at the first sign of danger.

The scene made Marcus’ stomach turn uncomfortably, before the answer came to his mind.

_ It… He… He- _

He took a deep breath and bit down on his tongue again, allowing the blood from the fleshy mass to calm his nerves and stop his growling rage. 

_ He loves it. He loves that insignificant waste of a creature. _

The question was… who was Marcus referring to?

His claws dug into the snow as his paws clenched themselves. 

It was all a bad joke, a twisted mirror image. 

The whole scene had played out and he had been able to do nothing but watch in complete captivation… 

He had been so enraptured in the two mammals and now it was clear why… 

When Marcus watched this bunny and fox, he wasn’t simply observing the sentimental interactions of this peculiar duo 

...but indeed, he was watching a parallel reflection of his  _ own _ family. 

His brother was weak, as useless as that tiny longears, yet his father had always stood protectively over him, always indulged the little wolf… always  _ loved _ him. 

When Marcus was a pup that had been true for him too… but that had ended for him when the tragedy of the Wolford clan had shown up at their doorstep. The Alpha knew that he had to harden his own heart and harden the hearts of all the pack… there wasn’t room for such sentiment and love if they wanted to maintain their way of life, if they wanted to survive.

But something had changed in the Alpha after Antony came along; the little obedient wolf’s starry eyed outlook had softened his father ever so much to how he had been before the incident that had destroyed the Wolford clan. 

That little wolf had brought back a piece of that dangerous sentiment into the Alpha. 

And that’s what this fox was, what it represented. 

Just like his father, it was that soft, emotionally compromised protector- a byword of predators that allowed the weak to endanger the whole of the group. It was what the Ancestors warned about, that when the weak are not relegated, or are overindulged, they would beget their weakness to others.

And where sentiment and weakness reigned, so too did the destruction that followed it. 

It was a scene that played out over and over again. What had killed the Wolford clan was such empathetic behavior that had led to their division and ultimate destruction. 

And that same sentiment was currently infiltrating their own pack. Sapper hadn’t been able to keep his emotions in check for Wolford even with knowing what happened to their clan, and now Julius was indulging that same weakness with Antony, ironically giving in to that same sentiment that he had condemned the Omega for. 

_ Empathy, sentiment, heart: the very  _ ideals that brought forth weakness, and weakness that brought forth death and destruction to predators. 

The absurdity of this whole scene struck Marcus like a charging moose. The gravity of just how close his pack had ventured to its destruction fell onto the grey wolf and caused his anger to rush into him as a wave rushed up the shore. A rising and continual fury quickly engulfed his mind: an anger that wouldn’t be satiated with the iron flavor of his own blood but so desperately needed the blood of those that threatened his pack.

But even as he observed the fox and rabbit, he found himself unable to move from his position. Their very existence were threats, but they were not the ones that he currently warred against in his mind. 

_ How? How can you disregard the dangers, father?! Everything you taught me to make me strong, everything you took away from me so we wouldn’t collapse like the Wolford clan did! Why are you throwing it away now?  _

He had been clashing with his father for so long now, and at the epiphany forced upon him by this damn redtail, Marcus finally understood why he so strongly needed to take over from his father, why his disdain for the Alpha and Antony had grown so much… 

He was the one who had to make things right.

_ You were so strong before, dad!  _

The term of endearment slipped out, he never called his father by that anymore, nor would he let that Freudian slip happen again. 

_ But you’ve changed, father. You’ve allowed yourself to grow weak.  _

Antony’s eyes focused again on the little rabbit that the fox stood near to.

_ Naive, carefree, weak, sentimental. _

_ He’s not special, father. You shouldn’t have allowed yourself to be compromised… He’s never been worth your time, your lo-  _

Marcus didn’t dare finish that word… 

But he didn’t have to, the damage was done and the wolf’s mind was made up.

The unnatural scene of the rabbit and fox had crystallized the destructive element that his father looked to be reembracing. 

To Marcus, it was clear now: he was in the right, he would kill this fox and rabbit, but even more so he would kill what they represented, utterly obliterate it. 

He tensed his body, ready to jump out and make his dash to route the fox, his eyes hardened in preparation as he stared angrily at the fox and rabbit, ready to-

Marcus’ ears flicked at the sound of stifled chuckling coming from his side.

And in a singular second everything that the grey wolf had concluded, every bit of ire and hatred and readiness to attack the fox turned towards a new target.

Marcus’ body hadn’t lost an ounce of its built up fury or its taut power as he turned his gaze to Antony. 

The scrawny weakling had an easygoing, jovial smile on his muzzle and a naive, contented look in his eyes. 

It was a sight offensive enough for Marcus to desire to wrap his paws around the smaller canine's throat and choke the life out of him. 

How did this little wolf have so much power over him as to take all of his attention from his targets?.. It honestly wasn’t a question that was all that necessary thanks to his recent realizations about his family, but it was strikingly remarkable how the smallest of actions done by the small wolf could so thoroughly redirect Marcus’ fury onto Antony… the grey wolf looked to be giving in to his anger, expediency of solving his most infuriating problem, namely his sentimental brother, over his current mission looked to be taking precedent.

“Why are you laughing, runt?” Marcus’ question was much closer to an accusation, and did little to hide the anger that matched the hardness in his eyes.

Antony straightened up but he didn’t take his eyes off the fox and rabbit. He willed himself to hide as much of his emotions in his voice as possible, but there was no covering the smile on his muzzle. 

“I just kind of think they’re cute, don’t you? The little bunny leading the fox around almost like how dad would sometimes-”

It had been the worst possible choice of words for the little wolf to have chosen. Antony’s voice tapered as he turned and caught the glare that pierced into his very soul… If looks could kill, Antony would assume that he would have withered away at that very moment. 

He wasn’t a stranger to Marcus’ anger or the hardness that resided within his brother’s eyes, he had been made to feel like less than nothing by it before, nor was it a rare occurrence for him to hide away from the camp and reduce himself to a sniveling wreck because of his brother’s hurtfulness.

This wasn’t that. 

As Antony turned his attention to Marcus, the little wolf locked eyes with his brother, not in any intention to challenge the wolf, but because the moment he saw that fierce hatred he couldn’t dare look away. 

Antony felt his heartbeat quicken as Marcus turned his body towards the younger wolf. On all fours his elder brother was now facing him, his body in a position that looked ready to strike. It was an intentional posturing, the same type of striking stance Marcus had held for the fox and bunny. It was a fact that spiked a new level of fear into the little wolf’s heart as he realized that Marcus wasn’t simply displaying dominance or treading on his spirits, but was giving off signals that made Antony feel less like a hunter and more like prey.

Antony’s fur stood on end, and his legs locked in position, ready to spring away from the wolf that stood before him. He could feel his ears pin hard against his head; none of this was an act of submission to his brother, he could tell Marcus wasn’t asking for that. Nor was Antony showing cowardice; this was all a bodily reaction engineered out of pure  _ instinct _ . 

This was stemming from a primal dread deep within his subconscious thoughts that told the little wolf that if he didn’t pin his ears, if he looked away, if he made a single move that showed either weakness or resistance, he might not live to see the next moment. 

An instinctual self preservation had fully taken control of Antony’s body.

Marcus’ lip lifted into an almost snarling display. There was an absence of a growl, but the display of teeth held no illusion: Marcus was ready to tear into the juvenile if it gave him any reason to. 

In truth, Marcus already had a plethora of reasons to do such a thing. __

_ You’re why I have to take over, runt. You’re why father has turned back to weakness and sentiment. Wolves like you are our downfall… you're not special… you’re not valuable, you’re nothing but a plague. _

Still Marcus didn’t strike. A small piece of him told him that doing so wasn’t smart, wasn’t calculating, wasn’t the right way to solve his problems and that he had to show his superiority in cunning ruthlessness like a leader, not in blind rage like an animal. 

It was taking all of his strength not to take out his frustration on the little wolf here and now, only his true plans of how to properly strengthen the pack under his own leadership kept him from striking now, the fact that the pack’s survival depended on it keeping him in check. 

Antony was doing his best to keep his courage under the scrutiny of his brother. He desired to let out a whine of distress in hopes that help would come, he wanted to call for his dad or for Wolford or anyone who might come in to protect him… but his throat refused to allow it. It was as if the juvenile’s neck knew such a gesture would break whatever restraint Marcus was holding onto and invite those menacing teeth to wrap around it and rip it out. 

Antony struggled to figure out what he could say to appease the impending wrath of his brother. Something he could say to let Marcus know he was sorry, and that he would do better and that he would be a better hunter.

But nothing would form. He was helpless.

_ Dad, please get here now! _

It was pitiable that the little wolf felt so in danger the needed to call out to his father. But as the walls felt like they were closing around the little wolf, an unexpected, fairly loud sound broke the silent stand off.

_ ~“You’ll never know dear, how much I love you…”~ _

It was strange, it was unexpected, and it was so extraordinarily out there that it snapped Marcus from his fury towards his little brother. Reason and artful planning finally claimed the larger wolf’s mind once again, as he realized just what he was about to do.

Marcus physically shook his head to clear out some of his anger, but the gesture could only offer so much relief. Like simmering water his anger would inevitably boil over again. 

But for now he had control,

_ That can wait…  _ The grey wolf told himself. He could solve that problem another way.

It wasn't that Marcus would have regretted solving one of the pack’s problems there and then, but his reason told him that doing so like this would only end up causing more problems for him and the pack.

It would have thrown the whole wonderful design of his plans away! How foolish that would have been. To have blatantly killed the little wolf would have resulted in most likely being ousted from the pack altogether, perhaps even killed.

That wouldn’t do.

Marcus was decidedly craftier than that. He would dispatch this sentimental wolf in a much more discreet way, and in a manner that would be equally fitting for a wolf so worthless. 

Marcus took one last hard look at the nearly sniveling runt in front of him, his disdain for the creature was clear, even the same way one would look at discarded waste. To him… this little wolf was decidedly not one of the pack, and when he could he would make sure that the pack would be rid of him… 

But for now, he had to achieve his goal.

Marcus unceremoniously turned away from the cowering wolf when his ears flicked again at the displeasing sound emanating from where the fox was. 

Thankfully, as if the providence of the Ancestors had been watching over him in his moment of distraction, the fox hadn’t moved from the tree it had stationed itself at. The bunny was now in the arms of the fox singing away at its heart's leisure.

_ ~“You’ll never know dear, how much I love you…”~ _

If the longears was trying to redirect his annoyance to it, the diminutive creature was doing a fantastic job as it sang unsorted, broken bits of a song. However, the fox soon proved to be even more provoking, as it held the little creature as if it had immense value to it, 

The grey wolf wasn’t sure how long it had been holding the little rabbit, but that didn’t matter. If the fox wanted to die holding onto its companion, Marcus would be gracious enough to allow it.

_ ~“You make me happy, when skies are grey!”~ _

Allowing them to die together was the biggest kindness Marcus was willing to do for the two worthless mammals. A kind farewell to the redtail that will contribute to his overthrow of the Alpha.

One last thought crossed Marcus’ mind as he positioned himself to sprint at the fox,

_ Ironic that this redtail will die for falling into the same trap that the Wolford clan had fallen into.  _

Marcus smirked at the irony.

_ Heart, sentiment… love, empathy.  _

The big gest killers of predators. True for the Wolford clan, true for Sapper and now soon true for the fox and rabbit, and eventually his brother and Julius.

It was the trap that was as old as sentience itself. 

A trap that predators had to fight against if they wanted to live and eat. A trap that said that the weak have as much value as the strong. A trap that had divided so many wolves when they fell into such beliefs that it effectively started wars within packs. 

A trap that Marcus believed, much like this redtail and its longears, his father will inevitably succumb to thanks to his brother. 

Marcus knew It was now up to him to stop the cycle, to wipe out this abomination like one would wipe a dish clean.

_ ~”You make me happy, when skies are grey!”~ _

Marcus’ eyes hardened at the bunny’s poisonous words. 

_ First I will cleanse this place, and then the pack. _

As Marcus focused in on the prey, he hadn't noticed the stiffening winds surrounding them, nor the icy dropping in temperature. They weren’t particularly strong yet persay, but they were definitely promises of a large storm approaching. A storm that had just begun already making itself known through other means right where they were… 

Antony was definitely the first to have noticed the light flecking of snowflakes beginning to fall, it had been the first thing he noticed the moment he found himself able to control the wobbling in his limbs after his brother had… 

He shook slightly again, whether it was from the winds picking up from behind him or the thought of Marcus’ teeth he wasn’t sure. But either way the lightest of snows had started… Which meant that their father had to be on the way! a thought that gave him hope and relief, so much so that he focused all of his energy into listening in hopes that they might be on their way… 

And his relief was further strengthened when his ears flicked at the very faint sound of distant howling, howling that his father said they would use to help them find their way to them when the storm proved to be overtaking their sense of smell on the trial.

_ Dad’s calling! Dad’s calling, he’s gonna be here soon! _

And at that, Antony’s heart revived. His hopes that his father would be here comforted the little wolf, told him that he wouldn’t have to worry about Marcus much longer and he would be safe with the pack. And with both the promise of not being alone with his brother and the order that his father gave them to answer his howl the moment they had heard it, Antony filled his lungs to let out the loudest, strongest howl he had ever accomplished.

**The Fox’s Fear: In Real Time**

Nick had not been expecting the most powerful, ear-splitting howl in the history of all howls, but it did wonders to light a fire under his tail and make the run for the den! 

He hadn't known what was in the brush, but it couldn’t be clearer now to what had been stalking them since he had ventured outside. The amount of adrenalyn that had surged through his veins when the loud call of a wolf screeched out so close had been enough for his wounds to have been completely forgotten by both his body and mind as he sprinted back to the safety of his den.

But if that wasn’t enough motivation, the fierce growl that ripped through the air and the ocean of grey fur barreling over the pile of brush on his right side was. 

There were many things Nick could feel at that moment. He could feel the ill intent, and the aura of hatred that emanated from the determined beast. He could feel the chill in the air blow against his side as he ran, he could feel the light flakes of snow hitting against his eyes and wet nose, and he could feel his heart trying to beat out of his chest like it had never tried before. But above all of that… he could feel the pitiful shaking fear from the beloved kit in his arms. The nightmare that the little buck had last night was coming to life and this time it would take the bunny’s life.

Nick wouldn’t let that happen. He wouldn't let the massive monster have his beloved family… 

He knew he didn’t have a hope in the world to fight a wolf directly, and his special poison had been left securely in his den’s enclave. There was only one real option that could save his bunny. He would have to give his life… 

Nick understood he would likely only have time to shove the little rabbit into the den’s entrance. The wolf was almost for sure going to be able to catch him as he would enter the entrance and try to crawl to safety.

He would be so close to safety, the brink of it, in fact, but as it was, danger would have enough time to grab him by the tail or by the leg and drag him to his doom.

The only thought that Nick had was how he could shove the little bunny far enough into the den before he was crushed by the fearsome predator. He knew he could do that much, he knew he could make sure he was safe and that Judy could escape with the kits through the hidden exit while they were distracted by him.

He knew he could do that much for _his_ _family_ , for the quivering bunny in his arms… 

_ I’ll protect you Ashes, no matter what…  _

The wetness that began to form in his eyes went unnoticed as the fox sprinted to ensure the kit’s survival. 

He didn’t have the time or the mindset to realize it, but everything about this was truly unfair… No, it was more than that, it was unjust. Unjust that he wouldn’t get to join his family and all of their future adventures. That he wouldn’t get to console his little bunnies or teach them any more songs or cook for them or… or just be there for them.

If he wasn’t so focused on his current task, the fox would’ve mourned his loss for not getting to see the kits grow up, not getting to enjoy life with his new family… not telling Judy… in just what way he had begun loving her… 

But instead of having the chance to think of all that, a short prayer of thanksgiving had resulted.

_ Karma, thank you for letting me have them… even if it was so short… it was nice having a family again… please… if nothing else, just protect them. _

...The fox’s eyes involuntarily blinked away the tears that had built within them, a last note of just how much he would truly miss being with them… 

But as they opened again, free of tears and dead set on the den ahead, Karma was granting him his request. Indeed, perhaps even more. 

Nick’s eyes caught another patch of grey emerging from the entrance of the den, an almost identical shade to the little puff of fur he held in his arms and very unlike the menacing ocean that was trampling forth from the side.

It was Judy!

That beautiful, strong patch of grey that he had grown to love, tipped with black ears and holding a brown stick in one hand and clearly ready to throw it at the oncoming terror barreling directly at Nick. 

With grace and a strength that betrayed her size, she flung the spear at the animal that was furiously closing in on her beloved fox.

A loud yip came from the beast as the sharpened spear planted itself in the wolf’s shoulder. But that action could only stop the mad animal for so long, it did little to kill the furious mammal’s momentum.

“Hurry, Slick!” Judy shouted at the fox that was closing in on her fast. 

She ducked back into the den to allow the fox and her sibling the necessary space to crawl into the hole. The tunnel to the actual chamber was plenty long enough to safely allow her to wait the few seconds it would take for Nick to enter. She had been waiting for the fox to come back when she had heard the loud, roaring howl from right outside, she was only glad she was able to help before she lost even more of her family. 

She wouldn’t let that happen. A sentiment reflected by the fact that she was right there waiting to help pull the fox and her sibling to safety deep within the den.

The few seconds of watching Judy bravely throw her spear at the fierce predator on his side served to both embolden Nick and give him hope to escape with the little bunny in his arms. The larger wolf hadn’t slowed much, but it had been just taken aback enough by the attack to stumble before it had regained his footing.

It was a flaw just bad enough that allowed the fox to test his luck as he dove into the dirt hole entrance of his home. First the bunny was shoved deeply inside, followed by his forepaws and arms. His head passed the threshold of the entrance, then his body and legs and finally the tip of his tail. 

He was in! His mind was elated, he was safe!

A furious growl ripped from right outside of the entrance tunnel, one that promised to kill the fox, brutalize it, and consume him. The bunny waiting for him inside took note of it too and wasted no time,

“Come on!” Judy yelled.

She grabbed his forepaws and yanked him further into the den.

And only as he finally moved did he feel the brushing of claws behind him sweep against his tail.

Nick’s eyes bulged as he had turned to see a massive steel grey paw reaching deep within the entrance tunnel trying to grasp around to snag his fluffy appendage. 

But Judy had been quicker. She had pulled the fox far enough in to prevent such an unfortunate fate. They rushed into the inner safety of the den to meet with the rest of the family. Ashes had immediately clung to Judy the moment Nick had thrown him into the entrance and he saw her, and now little Ollie and Cotton ran with full force to the safety of their fox and sister the moment they laid eyes on them entering in from the entrance.

Nick quickly scooped them up. Relief washed over him as he felt their little paws grasp against him.

_ I made it. I- _

He lost his voice as he felt the tightening hugs of the little bunnies.

He had indeed made it, but they were far from safety. And their little bubble of safety wouldn’t last.

Another loud, piercing howl filled the air from the outside, and distantly Judy’s ears could perceive howling much further away. A whole group was coming their way, but even more intimidating, a fierce, terrorizing growl could be heard by all within the den, and even worse a new sound joined in with the deep snarl. A loud boom that shook the earth around them, deeper and louder than any predators growl- a clap of thunder followed by the sounds of intensifying, strong winds.

They were surrounded by wolves, and the heart of the storm had just found them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took soooo long. Definitely the hardest chapter for me to portray, but I think it came out really well. i just hope it isn't confusing. Did it come out alright?  
> I also hope the parallelisms of the characters is making sense. It amazes me how many characteristics people irl can share in the eyes of each and every person, It can be surprising how even the most different of people can be seen as one and the same by someone with a different worldview/perspective.


	23. The Heart of The Storm Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something is wrong, Julius knows it. Marcus finally finds a solution that befits both of his problems, and Nick and Judy will do whatever it takes to keep their family safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be editing many previous chapters soon, just haven't got around to it. There won't be major changes just grammatical, spelling, etc.

**The Heart of The Storm Part III**

- **What Hath Caesar Wrought?** \- 

Brute gave an affirmative nod to the Alpha. Words weren’t needed after hearing the piercing howl of their youngest packmate answering the Alpha’s call. They had their waypoint now, and reaching the Alpha’s sons would only be a matter of time and persistence through this storm. 

As it was now, Julius would continue to lead the pack while Brute would take up the roll of calling back with his own howls to the scouting party. With years of experience, it wasn’t particularly difficult to decipher just how far and in what direction a howl was coming from, although the strong, blowing winds of the storm didn’t exactly help in that matter.

Things  _ appeared _ to be going according to plan. By the earnestness, and urgency of the howl that answered them, clearly being his younger son Antony, it sounded like his sons must have found their targets and wanted the rest of the pack to be there as quickly as possible. 

Brute called back again. Followed by Antony once again answering back with a mighty howl. The urgency in his son’s second call was just as palpable as the first. 

It was an urgency that Julius was glad to hear, thinking that his sons must have had the unfortunate prey cornered. However, his mood soured a bit when a clap of thunder shook the grounds they were running on.

Julius, annoyed at the storm, bit back his growl.

_ Ancestors, surely we can put this damnable hunt behind us soon. _ The Alpha thought, disdain for this ‘Honor’ Hunt growing stronger every moment. 

What had started out as Julius’ ideal scenario to remove a dangerous dissenter from the pack had metamorphosed into the most disagreeable hunt he had ever experienced.

Julius had finally gotten rid of Sapper, the wolf that had endangered the pack with his own sentimental wishes by continuously disobeying the Alpha’s command to rename Demas after that of his fallen clan: Wolford. 

Getting rid of the sentimental Omega had finally allowed Julius to both rid that thorn in his side and bring Wolford to heel. However, what he had not anticipated was how a third party would end up desecrating the Omega’s corpse. 

A part of him had been satisfied when Brute had relayed to him the state of the Omega’s body. His plans to put the inexperienced Sapper on the frontlines had resulted in not only a humiliating death for the Omega, but also a humiliation in the afterlife. 

_ A fitting end for a dissenting pelt like you.  _ Julius thought, disdain for the Omega still as strong as ever. __

_ Your sentiment could have brought us to the same fate as the Wolford clan. _

Indeed, not only had Julius been satisfied with how well his plan had worked in disposing of Sapper, but even more so with the news of the desecration. His opportunism could only interpret it as a potentially wonderful thing for the pack and for his further consolidation of power. 

If successful… there was so much to gain for the Alpha.

Wolford’s need for vengeance would be sated and he would likely become an useful tool for Julius’ future designs. Julius’ leadership would also be strongly bolstered and his dynasty through Marcus would be all but guaranteed.

The key words being: If successful

However, as if being divinely spurned by the Ancestors, he had found so much opposition in this hunt. Brute had strangely challenged him (or rather accepted his challenge,) when he had brought up the wonderful possibilities of using Sapper’s Honor Hunt for the purpose of furthering Wolford… That had been a shock for the Alpha, his oldest friend hadn’t directly accepted a challenge from him in years. 

But that had only been the beginning of his troubles in this hunt. 

There was obviously the storm that was bearing down on them right now that had threatened to cut them off from their prey; It had loomed over them like a bad omen ever since they had departed from their encampment before dawn. Without a doubt, it would have erased the trail completely if he hadn't the foresight to send his sons ahead of them as scouts.

And of course there was the issue with this fox, the reason why they had to split up in the first place. The strange way that the vulpine had gotten involved only served to create an additional layer of confusion in their Hunt that had warranted an investigation that had sadly yielded less than desired. 

And finally… there were his sons.

_ Marcus… Antony. _

He couldn’t discount the building tension that practically oozed from his eldest.

Marcus’ rebellious nature towards him and antagonistic attitude towards Antony had only seemed to be galvanized in recent days, and for the life of him Julius could not figure out why. There had been an increasing effort by Marcus to challenge his authority, and an even higher increase in abusive behavior towards his younger pup as well. 

Julius growled slightly underneath his breath. The way his elder son had been behaving towards his obedient child had been unacceptable. Julius would not stand for whatever underlying reasons Marcus held such disdain for Antony… When this Hunt was over, Julius intended to straighten that behavior out entirely.

The Alpha snapped his mind from that train of thought, thinking back to the bigger picture of his recent plights.

All of these issues seemed to be symptoms of some sort of divine conspiracy against him. To Julius, it felt as if some great power was working against him. For what purpose and reason these problems were all piling up at once the Alpha couldn’t place. 

It felt as if the ancestors were working against him… 

And it all unsettled the grey wolf… 

For a second. And only a second.

He chased off the fleeting bout of worry that tried to take over his thoughts, not allowing the emotion to grow. The Alpha Had the mental fortitude and the practice to suppress those pesky emotions.

He gave a furtive look back at the wolves trotting along behind him, eyes settling on the tawny brown male that trailed behind Brute and Casius. 

His eyes hardened and he turned his gaze back to the front. 

_ No, for the sake of the pack I can’t allow such emotions to reside in me. _

No amount of divine disfavor or otherwise would shake his resolve. 

Julius knew that his leadership was unbreakable, knew that nothing could shake him because after what happened to the Wolford clan he had calloused his heart. He had been diligent in rooting out the sentiment and weakness that had resided within himself. He became the strong leader that could ensure the pack would survive, the kind of leader that wouldn’t allow his pack to disintegrate over petty emotions like the Wolford clan had. 

His resolve grew with every step he took towards the last howl. With each movement forward his confidence crushed his worries. Julius was the  _ strongest _ , he wouldn’t allow the pack to fracture and hadn't a weakness that could be exploited and because of that he-

“Old friend, should I call again?” Brute questioned. “Young Antony has not answered my calls since the thunder.”

He was the strongest. He hadn’t a weakness that could be exploited… So how was it now that the scarred, grey wolf, calloused and cruel as he had trained himself to be, felt the worst pang of anxiety coil in his chest at that question? 

He could feel it, feel the walls close in. He had felt it every time he sent his younger son off away from him, but now it wreaked havoc in his mind.

_ Something’s wrong. _

Julius did his best to block out that feeling, to keep his composure, but that news wasn’t something he was prepared to hear. He stumbled over his paws slightly as he trekked through the snow at the realization that his younger son hadn’t answered that last howl. An unusual slip-up that caught Brute’s attention. 

The good news was that they could still find the general vicinity of his sons provided they didn't move. It brought little comfort to the Alpha however. The two were supposed to continue signalling back to them until they were in sight with each other.

It felt as if a large stone had been laid across his chest. Anxious worry laid claim to the Alpha’s heart.

“What?! Call to them again, Brute!” Julius bellowed, his running pace and speed of speech simultaneously increasing.

Brute gave a curious eye to his old friend, there was an underlying tinge of panic in the Alpha’s voice that Brute hadn't heard from Julius since they were pups still competing over every little thing. It was strange to hear that slight break in confidence in the Alpha, and it was definitely something the Beta would ponder over on their way to the scouting party’s location.

All the same, he obliged the Alpha’s command. With a momentary break in his running, Brute let another howl that pierced through the intensifying storm around them. 

A moment passed by in a disquieting silence, the only noise being that of the forceful wind, the almost inauditory thumps of their paws against the fresh layers of snow, and the heavy breathing of the running wolves.

A dread that had no right to lay claim to a wolf of his confidence took over the Alpha.

They continued along at their speedy pace, not a sound shared between them for a moment that seemed to drag on for an eternity. 

“Again Brute. Call  _ him _ again.” Julius restlessly growled out.

The singular third person pronoun in the Alpha’s request stuck out to the Beta.

Brute’s eyes widened.  _ Antony. He’s concerned about Antony. _

The realization surprised the Beta, but not entirely. These days, the old Julius that he had always known and valued only ever seemed to shine through when that pup was involved. 

It caused the slightest of warm smiles to grace Brute’s muzzle. An understanding that his friend, as hard as he had become, was still somewhere in that hardened shell of a leader. The smile dissipated quickly as the image of a ruined corpse came back to the Beta’s mind.

_ Why does it have to be this way, old friend?  _

That question taunted the Beta, knowing that Justice for the fallen packmate would have to be carried out eventually. 

But even with that small smile wiped away and the fate of Sapper fresh on his mind, Brute obliged his closest friend once more and let out another howl.

The seconds dragged into minutes again. It was becoming clear, there wouldn’t be another answering call from the scouting party again.

Brute sighed, willing himself to tell his friend that they were clearly not going to answer again. But before he could manage to find the right words, his ears pinned from a loud piercing howl from behind him. 

Wolford, without command, had called out to the scouting party. 

Surprised, Brute turned and saw the tawny brown wolf, concern clearly displayed in the wolf’s softened eyes, the frown on his muzzle, and the raised hackles of his back.

_ Demas… you’re worried for the pup?..  _

It was strange to Brute to see these features on his packmate. No, wait- it wasn’t strange… He had seen that look before on the wolf. He had seen that look many times when the brown wolf was concerned for the deceased Omega. And again just that morning when it looked like the storm would stop them from reaching the desecrator who had threatened Sapper’s afterlife. 

And now… 

_ Now he’s worried for the pup…  _

Brute didn’t understand why Wolford looked to be so concerned for the young juvenile, but that didn’t take away from the clear fact that he was indeed worried. 

Brute had seen that look before… the look of worry for someone that was cared about. The black wolf recalled that same look being on the Omega’s face when he had refused to call Demas by the name of his clan and had been demoted for his disobedience.

It was… 

_ Vulnerability _ .

Vulnerability from a  _ sentimental _ anxiety for someone that was important to the wolf. Perhaps some would have called being vulnerable a weakness, and perhaps they’d be right. After all, anxious worry like that was an emotion that had been banned by the Ancestors. 

Brute wasn’t sure how he felt about seeing Wolford in such a state. Those were emotions that if Brute hadn’t have begun to have a change of heart about, he would have immediately reprimanded his packmate for.

But now… 

_ Was it really a weakness? _ The Beta internally questioned.

Brute hadn’t realized how caught up he was in the brown wolf’s actions until his ears flicked at the Alpha’s voice.

“Again. Call them again.”

It was unclear if the grey wolf was speaking to him or Wolford. But before that could even be considered the brown wolf behind him let out another earnest howl. 

Julius didn’t comment or question the fact that Wolford took over calling to the scout party. No address was needed as long as it was being done, as long as they were doing everything they could to reach the scouting party as quickly as possible.

It would have perplexed Brute, should have perplexed Brute… If not for what he saw right in front of him.

The Alpha’s hackles were raised, just the same as Wolford’s.

It only took that one look to see what he hadn’t seen of his friend in so long… The Alpha, Julius, his friend… was clearly anxious… clearly… emotional… clearly…

_ Vulnerable _ .

That question reverberated in the Beta’s mind once more… 

_ Is it really a weakness? _

**The Seeds of Karma: A Tale of Two Sons**

His shoulder throbbed. The spear hadn’t been particularly thick, but what it lacked in size it made up for in depth. He wouldn’t admit it, but that longears had one hell of a throw. Had he been prepared he would have been able to swat the damn stick out of the way, but as it was now he had only helped the puncture with his forward momentum.

Yanking the damn thing out hadn’t even occurred to Marcus until after the fox and rabbits had successfully retreated into their hole and had moved well out of reach of his uninjured arm. 

_ Damn it! Ancestors, damn these filthy pelts! _ A deep growl ripped from his throat.

His grey fur stained a darker shade of red around the wound. It needed to be patched, but that would have to be postponed for now. 

Right now, Marcus would have to figure out how to dig these worthless creatures with an injured arm while avoiding anymore nasty, pointy surprises. It would not be an easy feat without causing further damage to his bloody wound. 

But he was not one to be deterred.

_ I’ll dig you vermin out even if it kills-! _

Marcus’ frenzied thoughts were interrupted by a second loud howl erupting from behind him. He turned to see his brother facing the opposite direction from the foxhole calling to the pack. 

His shoulder throbbed again, _ That damn runt, this failure is his fault! _

Indeed, it was Antony’s initial howl that had tipped the fox off to their presence. 

Marcus’ anger flared at the noisy call. His hostile growl was a natural, subconscious reaction to his brother’s faults. It was unclear what caused Marcus’ body to shake more, the outrage that filled him or the loud boom of thunder that vibrated the whole of the forest. 

The grey wolf picked up the bloody spear that had been used against him. Marcus glared in the direction of his ‘brother,’ then back to the fire-hardened piece of wood in his paws. 

_ You endangered the pack again… You endangered me.  _

Marcus had been proven right, vindicated once again and this time at the cost of his own blood. There wasn’t a shadow of a doubt that the weak, sentimental juvenile was a danger to the pack. 

Under his breath the grey wolf couldn’t help but voice his animosity. “Worthless, insignificant ant.”

Marcus’ injury was the fault of the little wolf. Had he not howled out, the fox wouldn’t have been tipped off to its impending death, nor would that damn longears be ready with its own counterattack against him.

This time there would be a reckoning, and this time it would not wait.

Antony had been focused on the howls of the pack. His heart had leapt each time he heard the responses. The first from his father, the second and third from Brute. They were coming here and soon he would be safe! He would be-

The impact across his throat had been unexpected. And the immediate need to cradle his neck with his paws and try to draw in breath superseded any thought to answer back to the pack. 

Antony could feel the snow give way underneath his frame just as easily as his knees had given way underneath his weight after the blow. He found himself in the fetal position, the sound of his own gargled gasping and a pitiful string of coughs wasn’t quite as loud as the howling wind around him, or the loud screaming voice of the wolf hovering over him.

His mind was too blurry to figure that out right now, most likely because it was totally focused on wheezing in whatever little bit of air that could make it through the knot in his throat and into his lungs. Still, he could make out a few words:  _ worthless _ ,  _ weak _ ,  _ fault _ .

Vaguely, Antony could feel the fur on the back of his neck being pulled taut and upwards by a vice-like force. His legs lifted with it in an effort to relieve the extra pressure it put on his now bruised neck. He felt like he was almost dangling in the air, only able to keep marginal support in his wobbly legs to lessen the painful pressure that was holding him up. His mind cleared up slightly when the force holding him by the scruff of his neck shook him violently in an effort to get the defenseless pup to come to. 

It was then Antony realized that he had been unable to open his eyes since the blow. Clenching them shut had been a natural reaction caused by the unbearable pain. But as some of the initial sting abated into a general soreness he could finally creak open his eyes.

Antony wished he had kept them shut. 

As if waking from one nightmare into another, the little wolf was greeted by the sight of Marcus’ snarling muzzle being nose to nose with him. It was enough to make the panicked juvenile have difficulty breathing again. He tried to move away, to put distance between him and the imminent danger only to realize how weak he felt… and how that held him up was also holding him still… and how it was the paw of his brother that was firmly, painfully clenching the scruff of the back of his neck. 

The sore pain in his throat was now accompanied by the new pain from Marcus’ claws digging into his skin. A distressed whimper escaped his aching throat, but was quickly cut off by the roaring, angry voice of Marcus.

“SHUT YOUR FILTHY MUZZLE!” Marcus’ voice was sharp, and it was clear that he would not tolerate even the slightest of annoyances from his brother. That point was driven home when his free paw swatted across Antony’s muzzle in a solid, audible whop. 

But Marcus was one to be thorough. 

And with his muzzle right next to his brother’s ear he growled out, “...Or do you need me to shut you up again you worthless fucking pelt?”

Antony tensed, tears in his eyes stained the fur around him. His heart beat in his chest at an uncontrolled, frantic speed. It hurt just as badly to hold in his pain as the blows themselves. 

And the mental anguish the little wolf felt for not knowing why his brother was doing this only piled on to his suffering.

It wouldn’t be explained to the little wolf either, at least not with words. To Marcus, it was plenty clear why he had retaliate like so. That hit was only a fair punishment. Antony had caused his blood to be drawn by the rabbit’s spear because of his loud howling giving them away, so why wouldn’t Marcus batter the young wolf’s throat with the side of the rabbit’s weapon to shut him up? 

Really, he was being quite forgiving, only using the stick as a baton instead of its intended puncturing purpose. That forgiving nature, however, was running out. It was time for the little wolf to make up for screwing up his advantage over the targets.

Marcus dragged the worthless runt towards the fox hole before unceremoniously dropping him in the snow at the entrance. He didn’t wait for the little wolf to regain his bearings or even catch his breath again. He was beyond that, so very far beyond that.

Right now it was time to rub the runts nose in the failure he had caused.

“Look at me, runt. TURN AROUND AND LOOK AT ME.”

There were only two things on Marcus’ mind right now. He wanted the vermin inside dead before the rest of the pack arrived, and he wanted to be rid of the sentimental weakness embodied by the damn pelt that writhed in the snow before him.

With wet and frightened eyes that pleaded for mercy, Antony locked eyes with his brother.

The worthless little patch of white wouldn’t find empathy there however, and instead the pitiful sight only served to anger his grey overlord. Marcus had seen that look the many times he had beat the Omega back into its place, but Ancestors at least that wolf knew its place. 

_ Ancestors, you're even more pathetic than that waste. And he was killed by- _

An image of a sentimental wolf lying dead in the snow at the entrance of a rabbit warren came back to the grey wolf.

And For the first time on this hunt, for the first time in perhaps years, even perhaps since Wolford had been adopted into the pack… Marcus smiled genuinely. 

The grin turned wicked when that image of Sapper morphed into the image of his brother… 

Marcus was truly inspired. What way would be more appropriate in disposing of his brother than the same humiliating way as the Omega?… And to think he could play it off as an unfortunate accident to boot and be able to swoop in and end the vermin inside once the runt was taken care of.

_ What a fitting end for a pelt like you.  _

Antony shuttered at the hateful grin on his brother’s muzzle. He could feel the malice oozing from the grey wolf. It filled him with dread. 

The burning in his throat from the blow earlier had been enough pain already, but as his brother stood over him menacingly, glaring at him with those cold, hateful eyes, Antony couldn’t help but feel so small and powerless. A shiver ran through his scrawny frame, not from the cold of the blizzard around them but completely to do with his brother’s hardened stare bearing down on him. 

His pain had only begun.

“Dig.”

“Wha-”

“Start digging, pelt…” His voice was raised, and the spear was clutched tightly in his paws much like a baton, promising to give the little wolf the senseless beating he deserved if he didn’t comply.

“Start digging now.”

**Flee(t)ing Life, Steadfast Love**

They didn’t have long to pack up. What they would be able to take was limited and the fact that an injured fox would have to carry the three rabbit kits through the snow was a given.

Right now the fox was working on winterizing a familiar basket in order to carry the bunnies through this storm. In a way it was poetic, the scavenging basket he had used to carry the kits  _ to _ his den the night he found them in the snow would now be used to carry them  _ away _ from it through a snowstorm. The coldness of the snow would have snuffed out their little lives if they had been left in it for much longer, and now braving a blizzard was their only hope for survival.

He looked to the bed to see the shaking, cowering bunnies clinging to their older sister. They were so terribly frightened and had huddled in Judy’s strong grasp. These kits had watched their own warren being dug up and their beloved family torn apart by the very creatures that waited above them, and that dreadful reality clung to them just as strongly as they clung to their sister.

The fox's verdant greens caught the violets of the bunny he loved, and for a moment their eyes locked. An unspoken message was shared between them. 

_ I’ll protect them no matter what…  _ The fox internally vowed to his family. 

Although it was true, the thought didn’t exactly fit right when those violet eyes gazed back into his own so protectively…

_ We’ll protect them no matter what.  _ He amended. 

Even in his own thoughts he already knew… she wouldn’t let him leave himself behind. They were a team. And even though he would be perfectly willing to lay down his life for his family, he knew just as well that she would do everything in her power to not let that happen… 

Nick finished with the now winterized bunny carrier. He placed the altered basket on the bed next to the rabbits before rushing to grab Judy’s pack and bringing it to the storage enclave. Nick quickly began stuffing as much food as he could in her bag.

They would need it where they were going.

_ If… if it's still there.  _ He thought. Karma, he hoped it was. It had to be for their sake.

His ears flicked at the roaring, incensed voice above, 

_ They’re right outside. _

Nick couldn’t make out the words, but the tone of the animal was as clear as day. The furious voice had been unsettling enough, but the real concern began when the quick scratching sounds began to emanate against the entrance tunnel.

They were going to dig them out soon.

And in a den full of rabbits, he certainly wasn’t the only one to catch on to that.

“Nick! We need to get moving NOW.” Judy yelled. She had the three little kits already situated in the prepped carrier on the bed, they were huddled into each other for comfort, and even from across the den he could hear their distressed cries through the blanket that Judy had covered them with. 

“I- We have to be prepared or we won’t make it out there! I- I need more time!”

She knew he was right. Hated that he was right. They would need some supplies to stay warm during the blizzard… otherwise they may not make it through the thick of the storm. Not only that but they would need rations during and after the storm for sure, finding food in the winter, especially with the added layers of deep snow would be nigh impossible. 

Nick hadn’t expected to see his bunny by his side at the enclave, but he wasn’t sure why he hadn’t. Of course she wouldn’t be sitting down when a threat was this close.

Judy didn’t have to scan long before she saw his fishing spears. They weren’t fire-hardened and weren’t built for defense against larger creatures, but the tools would have to do since her spear was well out of reach. She grasped one of the weapons, giving it an experimental thrust and adjusting her grip to the slightly increased weight and length of the spear.

“I’ll buy us some time!” She said, resolutely.

The fox’s paw caught her by the shoulder before she could rush to the tunnel entrance.

“Judy, wait!”

Wait? She couldn’t do that. Not when so much was at risk. And a part of her almost snapped at the fox for those two simple words. She couldn’t help but immediately wonder if he was going to try to stop her from defending him and her siblings? From defending the ones she loved? She wouldn’t let that be the case, she wouldn’t fail her new family too.

“No, Nick! I hav-”

She lost her voice when those large russet arms wrapped around her up so quickly. She could feel his snout press against the side of her neck breathing in her scent and her ears perceived the slightest of a distressed whimper. It was a hug. A hug that spoke louder than a host of words ever could. He wasn’t going to stop her… He… he just needed this, needed to feel the comfort of her scent and to try to give that same comfort before she risked her life. When she realized that… the hug felt intimately close, not unlike when she had kissed him on his nose last night.

“I know.” His voice was small, vulnerable even.

Judy could feel him inhale again, breathing her scent in as if he might lose her… Because… he could lose her. 

She gave in to the urge to hold him as well. The spear thudded on the den floor as she cradled her face into the downy, cream-colored fur of his throat. The scent of violets, the scent of her home, old and new, filled her nose. It was a scent that she wasn’t willing to lose again, a scent that she had to fight for.

His paws found their way to her shoulders and grasped her tightly, and when he willed himself to pull his snout away from her neck’s fur he had to stare into those eyes… Those beautiful amethysts that shined light into him, that had mended his lonely heart.

He couldn’t lose those eyes. He couldn’t lose her.

“Please… be safe.”

He… he really wasn’t going to stop her. She could tell from his eyes that he wanted to… wanted to stop her so badly. That he… 

_ Doesn’t want to lose anymore family…  _

Same as her. But he also knew that she had to slow them down if they wanted to leave with enough supplies to survive out there.

He began to pull himself away, but before he could her paws had clasped against both sides of his muzzle. He was trapped by those soft padless paws, and drawn back into those loving violet eyes.

She wouldn't let him go yet, couldn’t leave him like this. 

She wanted to tell him she would be safe, wanted to promise it. But that wasn’t a guarantee she could make… But she could promise one thing. The one thing the fox had earned so thoroughly since she had met him, the one thing that she had realized she had wanted to give to him already. 

She could promise her  _ heart _ .

Tenderly, she pulled his face closer to hers. His muzzle was so close to hers now, and she wanted to give him everything she could, let him have every part of her heart. And there was only one way she could communicate that right now fully, only one way that would make her heart known to the fox that she  _ loved _ . 

Her soft lips lightly brushed against his, her small paws drew him in closer, pressing him into her. And when his lips moved with hers, when she felt the love and passion that he put right back into it, her heart was his… and his heart was hers. Truly hers. 

The kiss was brief, it had to be. But it still told them both everything they needed to know. 

It was  _ love. _

“No matter what happens, Nick,” Judy began, “I love you.”

And with that the bunny picked up her spear and ran to the entrance tunnel, leaving a stunned but oh so motivated fox to gather what they would need to make it through the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed writing this chapter immensely:) Although, it pained me to treat poor Antony in such a way. Did you expect that? Did you expect Marcus' plan to be so similar to his father's with Sapper? How are Nick and Judy going to handle this?
> 
> Extra note: The nighthowler has not been forgotten by me, just momentarily forgotten by our panicking fox.


	24. Weathering The Storm Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Antony begins his dig. Judy won't let anything hurt her family... But something feels terribly wrong about this whole situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a lot longer to get out than I would have liked. Ended up scrapping the chapter four times before I got it how I wanted it.  
> I am very much glad with this chapter :)

**Weathering the Storm Part I**

  
  


None of them deserved what they had been given. 

Not the fox, not the bunnies, and neither the little wolf who’s paws were already feeling sore from digging through the frigid snow and the hard ground beneath it. 

Like every canine, Antony wasn’t a stranger to digging, but the work in this severe winter weather was hard. The burning soreness in his throat added to the difficulty as he still had trouble catching his breath, and the larger wolf that stood behind him kept him on edge and too panicky to be efficient with the “job” being forced upon him.

On top of all that, the task was further complicated from his vision currently being very cloudy… Whether that was from the storm conditions or the tears in his eyes, Antony wasn't sure. 

What Antony was sure of was that he didn’t feel he could dig much further. 

His body had already been worn out from the long trek here, let alone his injury and the intense digging. Mentally the little wolf wasn’t fairing much better. He struggled with why his brother had hurt him so badly, and the fear that had overcome him since his brother had struck his throat clung to him just as presently as the pain. 

  
  
  


In short the little wolf was completely exhausted. 

Digging much further would be nigh impossible for him.

Still, Antony tried to keep his pace, he really did… he was so fearful of what would happen if he slowed down; overrun with terror at the thought of facing what his brother would do to him next if he gave up. 

It was a valiant, but ultimately futile effort. Try as he might, the juvenile’s breath became haggard, his fingers cramped from scraping against the hard, cold dirt, and his arms grew tired. 

Inevitably his paws slowed their speed, and inevitably his fears were confirmed. 

Half buried in the widened entryway, his ears perked at the angry growl from his brother. He couldn’t hope to get moving in time again, couldn’t hope to appease the incensed canine above him. He simply laid there, offering little prayers that whatever his brother was going to do wouldn't be as painful as what he had done to his throat. 

It had been a prayer in vain.

The initial jolt of searing pain radiating from his tail had forced his eyes shut. He writhed in the tunnel in an effort to pull the appendage free from the crushing weight that had stomped on top of it. 

His efforts had only made it worse… Had only encouraged the incensed grey wolf to tread more harshly, to twist his hindpaw and step again with more force.

Antony was powerless to stop any of it, he couldn’t even cradle his tail to try to soothe it. The only thing the young wolf could do was sob, whimper, and yelp out his pain. 

So he did. 

They were pitiful noises wracked with sniffling and tears. Noises that were a far cry from the piercing howls he had made earlier.

By the end of it, the little wolf was reduced to a blubbering heap. Antony laid their panting, bordering on unconsciousness and body wracked with nervous shakes. His paw pads and nose were cold with a nervous sweat, and from the little wolf’s lips he plead over and over again for the one mammal he felt could help him,

“Dad… please dad.”

It was fortunate that the tunnel muffled his pleas, otherwise the young wolf may have had it worse. 

It was obvious that Marcus was beyond caring at this point. He only needed the slightest of reasons to punish the waste of a mammal that laid before him. He was sick of the little wolf; sick of his naivety, sick of his cheeriness, sick of how his father would look at him like-

Like- 

_ like he’s special. _

…Like how Julius used to look at him before he had made Marcus change, when he had made Marcus strong.

Marcus bore his teeth at the half-buried weak wolf before him. 

He would be glad if he could leave the pelt like this before his father got here. Judging by the relatively distant howls, he had time before then. 

Not as much as he would like, but he did have time.

His eyes hardened when he heard the whelp sobbing beneath the dirt. 

The pelt had proven himself to be exactly what Marcus had always known he was: an ant to be stepped on.

And so he had done just that to the pup.

The crunching snap from the runt’s tail had been unexpected, but altogether welcomed when Marcus had stomped on it with all his might. He had an affection for noises like that, it meant that he was being effective in his tactics. So too the agonized wailing from his victim.

The pathetic, howling cries that had accompanied the loud snap had been music to his ears, food for his soul- altogether liberating, knowing that he was ridding the pack of the worst of them. 

Had Antony been facing his brother, he would’ve been greeted by the most satisfied grin. 

It was safe to say that the act of violence pleased the older wolf greatly, so much so that he indulged himself by twisting his foot over the now crumpled and kinked appendage.

“WHO TOLD YOU TO STOP, RUNT?!”

The serious anger that usually found its way on his muzzle returned as he noticed that he had indulged a little too long. 

It was time for the pelt to get back to digging his grave. 

“KEEP DIGGING, PELT! OR I’LL BURY YOU IN THERE WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER!”

It was an ironic threat, at this point Marcus wouldn’t be above letting this be Antony’s tomb. When his father showed, perhaps he would challenge him right away. That way he could force the Alpha to leave his ‘Special’ son buried in the dirt like they did with Sapper. Except this time there wouldn’t be any need for retrieval.

Even if the threat was ironic, it was effective. 

The little white wolf cringed at the enraged voice just as he had cringed at the physical trauma. In some ways it was worse than the damage to his body. He couldn’t hold out against Marcus, the idea was just too insurmountable.

His legs shook as he lifted himself. His crushed and kinked tail hung limply behind him; he tried not to move it to prevent the shooting pain from wracking the rest of his body.

The little white wolf felt hollow as he tried to dig forward. His thoughts tragically turned to when Wolford had praised him for having heart. 

A tear ran down his face, 

_ I- I’m sorry Mister Wolford. I- I don’t have enough heart, I- I can’t even- _

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn’t finish the thought, it would be too much to admit. 

His ‘heart’ had dried up, vaporized underneath the absolute terror that was his brother… 

It drained the little wolf to know that he really wasn’t good at anything. He was supposed to have the heart like Wolford said he had. 

But here he was crushed, beaten and worthless.

_ I- I can’t do anything right. _

The pup was too hard on himself, really. He was only a juvenile, hardly out of puphood. And like any young kid, there were some obstacles that were insurmountable. For young Antony, that obstacle had come today. And it had come in the form of his cruel elder brother thoroughly crushing him in both body and spirit.

Antony’s sore paws slowly began to dig at the ground the best they could. He moved dirt little by little and edged closer to where his brother wanted him to go. Slowly, his progress appeased the grey wolf enough to stop growling for the moment.

But unfortunately for the little wolf, it was only the beginning of his trouble. 

His brother wasn’t the only mammal here.

**-0-0-**

Judy’s mind couldn’t help but flutter back to what she had told her fox. 

_ ‘No matter what happens, Nick, I Love You.’ _

It was the truth. She loved him, and from everything she could tell about the fox… he loved her too. 

He had said as much in the way he had returned her kiss. 

She could still taste him on her lips too, a little fact that kept her anchored and ready to fight for them.

She knew that right now Nick was doing everything he could to get them out of there. All she had to do was halt the wolves’ advance long enough for them to bug out and then he would come and retrieve her.

She wouldn’t let them down. She couldn’t let them down. Not with the weight of guilt still heavy on her mind. 

_ I won’t lose my family again. _

She hadn’t been there. She hadn’t had the chance to even try to defend her family when they were attacked before, but now… now it came down to her.

_ I won't fail again. _

Despite Nick’s assurances that it hadn’t been her fault, there was still a piece of her that knew otherwise. She had let her whole clan down. In her mind, her whole family had been torn apart because she wanted to be different and try for something more adventurous. Whether she was right or wrong for thinking that way, she hadn’t decided. 

But what she had decided was obvious.

She had lost enough. 

_ We all have. _

It was a glaring truth. Their homes, their families, peaceful sleep, and the innocence in life that her siblings had before all of this happened.

And she wouldn’t allow anything else to go. 

Not her new home, not her new family, not the peace she had when she was curled up next to her fox, or the normalcy and joy he brought back for the little ones.

_ He- he’s my fox, their my siblings! You can’t have any of them! _

To say that she was feeling possessive was both accurate, and yet so watered down it hardly resembled the truth. 

NOTHING would touch them without her say. She wouldn’t allow it. 

And right now if anything wanted to get to them they would have to crawl over her dead body… And with her spear in paw that was not likely.

Judy was confident as she took stock of the situation. 

She peered through the small tunnel, first noting her disadvantages with it. 

It wasn’t very long, but she had paced it enough now to be familiar with that. She knew it was about twenty paces for a rabbit, and undoubtedly much, much shorter for a wolf. The tunnel gently inclined upwards and had a fairly straight path to the den, both of which unfortunately would work to her disadvantage as well. She wouldn’t have much lighting either. The fire behind her didn’t radiate very far, and the natural lighting from outside was smothered by the creature digging its way to them.

However, as bad as all that seemed, she didn’t feel any less confident. 

She had a tool in her paws that could slow them and the advantage that they would have to put their paws in danger of a cut every time they would try to scoop their way closer. 

And that was all she needed.

With the situation assessed, Judy crawled forward along the inclining tunnel floor. 

It was a tight fit for a fox, but not for a bunny. (Mobility would be another advantage she would enjoy.) She didn’t have to shuffle along the tunnel floor for long before the noise of the digging wolf was apparent. Visually, Judy could make out the movement of paws just ahead of her, close enough for her to ready herself for her first strike.

Judy’s ears perked at the intermittent muffled growling from above. 

Her grip tightened harder on the spear and her heart beat against her chest like a drum. Her hindbrain hated that noise even more so than the howling. She couldn’t help but wonder how terribly fearful her family had felt when they were in her position. 

The thought both sickened her and strengthened her resolve. 

Judy found herself angry as she heard feeble crying in the tunnel. Her siblings must’ve been so scared for her to hear the growls all the way from here. She wouldn’t let that slide. No, they had terrorized her family enough!

She steeled herself once again, and squinted her eyes to watch the wolf in front of her. 

It hadn’t noticed her yet. It’s paws weren’t moving quickly. In fact, they weren’t moving at all like she had originally anticipated. They were haphazard and slow, an unexpected thing to see, but definitely something that would be to her advantage.

The images of her mom and dad and nearly all of her two dozen lost siblings burned brightly in the back of her head, and the continuous sniveling cries in the tunnel both did their part in her efforts.

A hot tear unconsciously rolled down her cheek. 

Loss, injustice, a need to protect what was hers, it all came together like various instruments in a song. A symphony that was harnessed by her anger and readiness. She composed her form into a defensive stance, graceful and ready to strike. 

It was time to make her presence known to the dangerous predator before her.

With resolve, anger and possessiveness channeling through her entire body, she thrusted the tool right at the closest paw in front of her. 

**-0-0-**

Antony had made it to where all but his hind legs had entered into the hole. Really, his digging was quite impressive considering his condition, and at this rate he would complete this task in no time. 

His mind was cloudy and it hovered over his hopes. If he finished this maybe he could rest and Marcus would leave him alone. Then his dad would arrive. Maybe he would hug him when he sees how hurt he is, and then make Marcus stay away from him forever. Maybe Mister Wolford would pat him on the head like he did earlier that day and tell him that he was strong and-

A thin, wistful smile crossed his muzzle.

It was all a fantasy; wishful thinking at its finest. Deep down he probably knew it.

But he hadn’t given up on that hope. But reality was much more cruel than the little wolf could even begin to understand. 

Marcus had no intention of letting him leave this hole alive. If the elder wolf’s plan went accordingly, he would share a fate just the same as Sapper’s.

And it  _ did _ look like Marcus’ plan was on the right track. 

The little wolf had been injured enough by him, and now the juvenile was about to feel the wrath of another mammal.

Antony yipped wildly as he felt another jolt of immense pain radiate through his body. The sudden force of pain made his body tremble and collapse in a heap. His right paw rushed to grip and cover his left. It felt like something had just bit his paw! He cradled the appendage the best he could, but the sharp, sudden pang didn’t relent.

It was safe to say that he hadn’t been expecting to be struck again in the least. 

He had been obedient to Marcus completely. He had been much too frightened to stop his task after he felt his tail be crushed for stopping earlier. 

...So why did Marcus just strike him again?!

It should have been obvious that it hadn’t been his older brother. 

It was his front paw that was cut. It wasn’t possible for Marcus to have reached it from outside. 

But it wasn’t obvious to the little wolf, so far every ounce of pain he had endured in his life was the fault of his brother. Why would this be any different?

Antony tried to swallow his whimpers so he wouldn’t incite Marcus’ wrath again, but he couldn’t. He cried loudly and pathetically at the sudden burst of aching torment from his paw. The sounds of utter misery only capable of an abused child.

His night vision showed him his poor leathery paw pad torn open like ripped cloth. Even in this darkness, he could see his white fur staining red with an oozing warm liquid. He had never been cut this badly before, seeing the wound made it throb all the harder.

His tongue slinked out to ease the throbbing wound. He tried to lick it clean, but it was gritty with dirt, a taste that made him gag and his stomach turn. At least holding his paw in front of his mouth helped him to stifle his cries from Marcus. Though, the tears flowed from his naive eyes unstemmed. 

His paw could only stifle the whines so much though, and he found the dread in his gut building as he anticipated Marcus’ angry voice to berate him once again for being so weak.

_ ‘Get back to it runt!’ _ or ‘ _ Worthless ant, don’t stop!’ _ Ran through his mind as he waited for the hateful words colored in vitriol.

But the voice he heard wasn’t anything like that of his brother. (Though it did sound just as angry.)

“Stay back, wolf!” It was a feminine voice, but that didn’t take away from the chill it sent down his spine. 

He blinked the tears from his eyes to clear his vision. 

He wished he hadn’t. His eyes focused on the end of a sharpened stick further into the unwidened tunnel in front of him. 

The spear was menacing to him. 

His throat still ached terribly from the cruel slap Marcus had given him outside with the one he had acquired earlier. His cut paw now made a lot more sense too, and it clearly promised that the stick he was watching would only cause him more pain if he didn’t listen to the voice.

His eyes followed the spear to the paws of the mammal holding them until he saw a-

_ A longears?  _

And not the cute, tiny longears the fox was hugging earlier. Seeing that singing bunny had made Antony joyful and cheery. The little creature had been so, so happy with a family that he could express himself with… For a second the little wolf had even imagined himself being held by his own father in such a way. 

It was a secret yearning of his to be close to someone in the same way that tiny bunny was with the redtail. It was his dream. 

Another fantasy. Something that wasn’t likely to ever be.

Indeed, as it was now, the only thing in store for the pup was hurt.

This rabbit isn't displaying behavior like the tiny one had. Her eyes were hard, and her muzzle was set in a deep frown… 

She looked pissed. Even as pissed as Marcus! 

But there was one thing that betrayed her fierce countenance. 

Her nose was twitching. Something that looked out of place on the angry longears. He didn’t know what it meant for rabbits, and his nose didn’t twitch like that, but he did know what it meant when your body shies away from something dangerous… Like she did when she took an unconscious step back from him.

He had done that plenty in his life… So often, with his tail between his legs. He knew what it meant to take fearful steps away from his brother. And he couldn’t help but wonder if for a rabbit, a nose twitching was something similar to when his ears pinned back or when his tail tucked itself a way.

_ She’s scared… like me…  _

The thought made him relax just ever so slightly. He didn’t like to be scared alone.

Antony wasn’t wrong either. 

Judy was indeed fearful, she couldn’t stop her nose from twitching as she stared at the mammal in front of her. However, she wouldn’t say she was scared of the wolf necessarily. It was something else that had settled into her gut.

_ I won't fail again… I won’t let anyone else down. _

It had only been five days before when she had discovered her home completely ransacked and her family gone. 

She hadn’t been there… Her family had been taken from her when she was away.

But now she was here… 

And it all came down to her. In the face of adversity, in the face of her whole family- her existence- their safety hinged on her to stop them.

Like her fox, she had made a promise:  _ I’ll protect them no matter what. _

She would do just that.

With hard, scrutinizing eyes, Judy watched the wolf. 

She couldn’t see the predator in front of her very well, but she could make out the absolute stillness. 

She hadn’t expected it to listen to her command. 

It was slightly reminiscent of when she had ambushed Nick and had yelled at him to stop when he had tried to escape her attack. Her fox had been thoroughly confused when she had commanded him then. For some reason she didn’t grasp, the act was disorienting to predators. 

Her ears also confirmed that the wolf had stopped. 

Both the sounds of digging as well as the growling outside had silenced. All she could hear in the hollow of the tunnel was faint licking and stifled weeping… 

Undoubtedly, from her stabbing it. 

Her ears drooped at listening to the canine’s whimpering cries.

She… didn’t find any pleasure in injuring the wolf… 

It had been a thought that had secretly crossed her mind. Justice and satisfaction for what their species had done to her family… 

But the uniquely canid whimpering was too familiar to her now. Hurting Nick and nursing him back to health had soured any satisfaction of vengeance towards predators. In fact, she found its cries distressing to her. Much too reminiscent of when she had hurt her beloved.

Like the rabbit, Antony’s ears pinned against his head too. He didn’t want to look like a threat. 

He found himself unsure of what to do and desperately hoped showing an act of submission would let the rabbit know that he didn’t want any trouble. He kept himself low (or as low as he could in the cramped tunnel he had dug,) and his ears pinned.

He was scared too and he wanted her to see that.

In retrospect it was a silly thing to try. Rabbits couldn’t see well in conditions like this, not to mention that a gesture like that when invading someone’s home would be meaningless. 

Had he any knowledge of prey he wouldn’t even be attempting such a gesture.

But he didn’t. 

The little wolf’s knowledge began with overhearing what the others had said and ended with hearing the little rabbit singing about sunshine earlier that day. He had of course eaten meat that was given to him- cooked and prepared. And he had seen glimpses of dead prey carried into the camp, but had always shied away from it. It had always felt weird to him to be around things like that, it was one reason why he always stuck closer to just his family. 

Not to mention, being barely out of puphood, he hadn’t given much thought to the predator-prey dynamic. His head had been in the clouds, and although he hung on his father’s every word, he had always interpreted them in his own way, and his father had neglected to seriously train him up like he did with Marcus.

In short, he was both severely naive and thoroughly sheltered.

He let out a pitiful whine hoping that the rabbit would understand that he was just as scared as it was… He didn’t want it to be scared of him, and he certainly didn’t want it to poke him with that stick again.

Antony was so sick of being hurt, he just wanted to be home. His mind drifted from the rabbit to more pleasant things. Places where he wouldn’t have to worry about his brother or rabbits with spears. Mammals that would protect him. He wanted this whole situation to go away. He wanted-

_ Dad, please. _

Antony wanted his father.

He cried softly again. He wanted his dad to come and save him, to pull his brother away like he always did. Tears rolled down his face in full force as he rested his muzzle in the dirt. If not for the tunnel encircling most of his body he would've curled in on himself.

Judy hadn’t expected the wolf to actually stop digging, but what really took her aback was the wolf’s pitiful crying. 

Hearing it now caused a slow realization.

_ It wasn’t Ashie crying from the den…  _

What she had thought had been her sibling crying from the den had actually been the little wolf all along… it should have been glaringly obvious that it wasn't her brother. They were fairly distant, and outside of when they had been startled by the loud howls and growls they had cried very softly underneath the blanket covered basket. 

But she hadn’t considered it a possibility that the wolf would’ve been the one crying. 

Why should she have? 

The other wolf that tried to capture Nick had been so enraged that it didn't even acknowledge her spear when she’d thrown it into its shoulder! 

So hearing the soft, miserable whimpers was unexpected… and well, demoralizing. 

They were a far cry from the taunts, intimidation, and growls that most dangerous predators utilized. It wasn’t hard to deduce that this wolf was nothing like the fox Gideon Grey or the many weasels, badgers and raccoons that she had encountered before. 

Her ears wilted at the pathetic cries from the wolf. She was angry, oh yes she was angry, but she needed to pour it out on something that… 

Something that didn’t resemble her fox or, well, frankly the crying kits back in the den. 

She didn’t know why this wolf was like this, but she did know it felt wrong to cause it to yelp and cry like it had been. She found herself not wanting to stab it again.

But that didn’t mean this wolf could come any closer either.

Even if she did find a tentative pity for the wolf, it HAD to GO. She had a family to protect and that would remain first priority always. 

But… maybe… _ If it listened to me so far,maybe it'll listen a little more _ . Judy thought.

“Leave.” The word came from her mouth almost subconsciously, but there was still an edge to it. A warning to not come any closer. 

Her word caught the little wolf off guard entirely. She didn’t sound scared like him, even if he knew she was. He wished he had that kind of strength… that kind of heart.

His chest tightened at that thought before he processed her word.

_ Leave? _ Antony thought, confusedly. 

He wanted nothing more than to do just that… 

_ Leave _ . _ Be far away from here. Away from Marcus! Maybe I can talk with Mister Wolford again. Maybe he’ll be my friend and tell me stories about his friend Sapper. Maybe- _

Fantasy. Absolute fantasy. Another false dream that he couldn’t hope to have in his situation.

Another hot tear soaked into the dirt beneath him as his whirlwind dream crashed and burned at the thought of his brother. 

He couldn't hope to obey the rabbit. Not with Marcus right above him. 

Why the grey wolf had gone eerily silent was beyond him, but Antony knew the moment he took a step back Marcus would hurt him again.  _ Badly _ .

He was as sure of that as he was that it was snowing outside.

He buried his face in his paws. He just wanted to hide from it all. 

He couldn’t leave, not with what would await him out there. And as much as this bunny had hurt him, his fear for Marcus was rooted much deeper into his brain.

He tried his best to tell the rabbit as much. 

He found his throat to be so painfully sore still, and what came out was more of a raspy, and feeble plea than an explanation.

“I- I’m s- sorry.” His voice was smaller than the rabbit he had seen earlier and far more timid and flimsy, “I- I c- ca- n’t- le-” 

The little wolf choked, and tried to clear his throat, but it wasn’t of any use. His throat was seriously bruised. And when he slid his paws to Touch it, he could feel that it had swelled underneath his fur. 

His brother hadn’t been lenient with his punch, and now Antony couldn’t even speak the same.

He cried distressedly at the realization. 

Like everything else, Marcus had taken away his voice too. Every bit of stability in his life felt like it had been swept from under his feet when he choked on his words. Would he ever be able to talk again? Would his dad still want him? Would Mister Wolford want to be his friend still? 

He felt powerless. Well and truly powerless. 

_ Worthless.  _

_ Weak.  _

_ Ant. _

Those words had been thrown at him by Marcus for so long now that they had lost meaning. 

Until now. 

Right now it seemed to be finally sinking in.

He couldn’t do anything. 

He was small and not very strong. He wasn’t clever like Brute or his dad. He couldn’t even smell very well, and every wolf was supposed to be able to do that! All he had was his ‘heart’ that Mister Wolford had told him about ...and even that seemed to have faltered completely.

_ Marcus… was right. I- I am worthless. I’m nothing but-  _

He really didn’t want to admit it. Didn’t want to call himself the one insult his brother had dubbed him as-

_ an ant. I’m just an ant. _

He tried to hold back his tears, but doing so only made the pain in his throat worse. Softly, he sobbed into his paws. Smearing the blood from his paws on his face and in his eyes.

Judy had watched and heard it all. The noises would have been heartrending in any other situation. And after taking care of her injured fox, she might’ve found the sympathy and bravery to try to help this hurting creature too.

But she couldn’t do that here. Her family was top priority, and she wouldn’t do anything to risk them. 

Even if it meant she had to listen to the sobbing of another mammal. 

Her chest tightened in guilt. Judy couldn’t help but feel that something was terribly wrong that she just couldn’t see, it was like a puzzle with missing pieces. 

The wolf’s behavior wasn’t anything like the typical predators she had encountered. In fact, it had been nothing short of downright pitiful.

_ ‘I’m sorry, I can’t.’ _ The wolf had tried to tell her before it had broken down again. 

It’s voice was downtrodden and miserable. And even though it had refused to leave, it also didn’t attempt to move closer. If it had meant to harm her then why was it just lying there? It could leave and try something else, or let the other wolf try to dig. 

The situation was perplexing, and she couldn’t even begin to solve it. 

She was careful to keep her defensive stance, but her mind wandered slightly to the wolf’s words.

_ ‘I’m sorry.’  _

The fact that it had apologized to her was shocking in its own right. She had heard Nick apologize for things, but that was her fox. Nick was a good mammal, kind and caring. Of course he’d apologize when he thought he messed up. 

But she never thought she’d hear another predator apologize to her. 

Her mind went to the other two words of the feeble sentence the wolf had uttered out.

_ ‘I can’t’ _

_ What does it mean it can’t? _

Leaving wouldn’t be difficult to do, and it certainly didn’t look like it wanted to be here. And she had already completely ruled out the possibility that it was just too prideful about being bested by a bunny. 

Her ears picked up a struggling cough in between sobs. No, pride certainly wasn’t involved at all. 

The wolf was clearly hurt and frightened. 

She puzzled over the scene like a detective. It felt familiar in a way that made her heart anxious.

An image of a wounded fox with warm green eyes filled her mind… 

_ No-  _

She had hurt her fox and that had turned out to be a terrible mistake. The guilt she had for hurting her fox had never left her, despite Nick wanting her to let it go. 

_ No, this isn’t like with Nick! It’s nothing like it was with Nick! _

This wolf was breaking into her home, another is right outside and had tried to hurt Nick and Ashes, and more are on their way…. 

So, why is it that this standoff was so reminiscent of when she had hurt her fox?

There was something about this whole terrible situation that made her feel like she was hurting another innocent mammal. Before she had hurt Nick, she wouldn’t have even considered a predator being innocent as a possibility… 

But now… 

Her nose began twitching again, and her spear lowered ever so slightly.

Judy didn’t know it, but the little wolf’s eyes had settled on her. 

The anger had drained out of her face, which relieved him greatly. Her nose was twitching again, which made him feel a little uneasy. He couldn't help but wonder if he made her do that. He had never been this close to a prey before, he vaguely had an idea that prey were supposed to be scared of him, he hoped that if he kept low the rabbit wouldn’t be too scared. 

He lowered his head to the dirt again just to make sure. His eyes watched her face with curiosity and hope. He wasn’t sure if he had communicated with her well or not, but her spear had lowered at least. 

Surely she understood that he was scared too, she wasn’t hurting him anymore after all. 

He breathed a sigh of relief, an act that reminded him how sore his throat was, but altogether soothing to his nerves. He closed his eyes, not realizing how tired he had become in the stillness of the situation.

_ Maybe… Maybe Marcus left and I can just stay here. It’s safe and I’m not alone. Dad’s coming soon and- _

A soft feminine voice interrupted his quiet thoughts.

“Why can’t you leave?”

Her voice wasn’t angry at all anymore. In a way it was… soothing… It reminded him of his mother when he was still the youngest pup. She didn’t really care much for him anymore, he had younger siblings that took precedent, and his future wasn’t as bright as others in the pack thanks to his small size. But it was…  _ nice _ . Nice to hear a voice that sounded almost like it wanted to know just to be kind. 

An involuntary whimper escaped his throat. He hadn’t heard anyone speak to him like that in a long time. He tried to speak to the longears again, to force his throat to at least tell her a little bit.

“I- I- my- bro-”

But it wasn’t meant to be talked about. An involuntary string of cries and yelps filled the tunnel once again. Little Antony jumped at the sudden sensation.

It would have happened sooner or later. Peaceful moments weren’t meant to last. 

Truthfully, Antony should have expected the spike of pain to surge through his body at any second. He had been still much too long to think Marcus wouldn’t hurt him again.

The only shock should've been that it took this long.

Antony hadn’t been ready for it even though he should have. The unexpected rabbit in front of him had derailed all of his thought, and now he was paying the price. 

He did his best to get himself away from the pain that licked at his hindpaw, and had managed to even squeeze his body a little further into the tunnel he had been digging…

**-0-0-**

Up above Marcus had been patient. 

Too patient, in fact. 

The snow was thickening and he wanted this done with. Especially since the last howls from the main hunting party had been significantly closer.

He had been ecstatic to hear his brother’s yelp from whatever it was the animals within had done to him.

_ Finally, the damn pelt is getting what he deserves.  _ Marcus thought.

His plan was coming to fruition, and just like the unfortunate Sapper, it appeared that the prey would do the job for him!... 

Or at least that was what was supposed to be happening. 

The silence dragged on as Marcus waited.

_ Is he already dead?!  _

He didn’t think so, and when his ears picked up sobbing from within he grew angrier. He heard a voice that wasn’t his brothers.

_ That damn longears is talking to him?! _

His patience grew thin fast, and with an annoyed sigh he stepped closer to the wolf mostly buried in the fox den. He had allowed minutes to be wasted because he had thought a rabbit would have been capable of handling his waste of a brother.

That didn’t seem to be the case. 

_ Maybe a little more encouragement?  _ He gave a wicked grin as he stared down at the wolf half-buried. 

_ After all… If you want something done right…  _

His grip on the rabbit’s spear tightened as he decided on what would motivate young Antony to continue his ‘dig,’ 

_...You have to do it yourself _ .

With a quick and steady thrust, the spear found its mark on the bottom of the little wolf’s hindpaw. 

Marcus’ ears perked again at the newfound sounds of suffering from the tunnel. He couldn’t help the satisfied grin that sprouted on his muzzle. What could he say, it was good to hear his brother motivated again. 

He watched in amusement as the little wolf tucked its feet into the hole he had dug. 

“Trying to get away, pelt? DIG FAR ENOUGH AND MAYBE YOU WILL!

**-0-0-**

That was all Antony needed to hear. ‘ _ Dig far enough… and maybe you will. _ ’

_ Maybe  _ He could get away from the pain, from Marcus. It was a sliver of hope… if he just kept on digging far enough… he would be out of reach, or maybe Marcus would leave or maybe dad would get here before Marcus could come and get him or-

It was fantasy. Another delusion formed out of false hope and the pup’s naivety. 

Too easily he believed his brother’s words.

It wasn’t really his fault for his misplaced faith. The little wolf was desperate to be as far away from his elder brother as possible. 

And the only way seemed to be the tunnel that he had been widening. 

So when Marcus said he could get away… 

He found his paws scooping away dirt once again. His legs were wobbly and his breath was ragged and labored… but his paws, even the two that were cut and oozing blood, were moving… 

With every scoop, no matter how much it hurt, he was that much further from Marcus.

_ … You really can… just dig… and get away… Dig…. and get away… from him. _

Maybe it was cowardly to want this, to run from everything. But he couldn’t face his brother. Even the thought made his whole body quiver. It was a mountain insurmountable for him to ever climb.

He couldn’t ever beat Marcus. Not in a million years.

But there was something else that was bothering him, something that in his fear and sudden pain from his hindpaw he had let slip away from his mind. Something that caused his chest to tighten in anxiety.

What is it that he was forgetting?

That ball of dread sat firmly in Judy’s gut again as she lifted her spear at the wolf.

Her ears twitched as the wolf’s paws scuffed at the dirt walls before managing to scoop away some of the loose debris. She could make out panged whimpers when its left paw scratched at the dirt in front of her, but strange enough it didn’t seem like the wolf was even acknowledging that pain… or even her right now. 

It’s eyes were only for the dirt in front of it. Focused on…

_ Escape. _

She knew she hadn't imagined that feral roaring voice from up above. 

‘ _ Trying to get away, Pelt? Dig far enough and maybe you will…’ _

The incensed wolf above had resigned itself to heated, threatening growls when the wolf in the tunnel had begun moving again.

It had dawned on her. The wolf in here… didn’t want to be here.

‘ _ I’m sorry, I can’t.’ _

She put it together.

It couldn’t leave, it wasn't allowed to leave, and by that last terrible cry it sounded as if it had been physically hurt again!

She gasped at solving at least part of the mystery. It apologized, it listened to her, it cried and whimpered- it- it-

It was a victim too… 

The wolf above wanted to use this one to get to them…  _ but this one didn’t want that? _

She had always had a knack for figuring things out in tough situations, it was why she wanted to be a scout since she was a kit. 

But she still wasn’t sure what to do with her conclusion.

_ Is it common for wolves to force others to do this? Is it normal for them?  _ She had no idea.

_ So what if this wolf is actually innocent? Or if its being forced to do this? _ Her hindbrain spoke up,

_ It's still leading the other right to our den- our family below!!! _

She had to stop it!

Without even thinking for another beat she jammed her spear into the wolf’s forearm. It cried again, worse this time than the last few times it had. Pathetically and miserably it whimpered out its fresh despair.

It made her cringe. Those warm green eyes filled her brain again. 

She had stabbed Nick a second time too. It was one of her most guilty memories.

“Stop!” She yelled at the wolf. “You have to stop! You can’t keep digging!”

The little wolf slowed a little, but it didn’t stop. She had to back up multiple steps.

They were getting too close to the den. She could see the radiating light from the fire within. Hopeful Nick would already be packed up and ready, and have the kits prepped to get out of there.

She raised her spear again, ready to strike the wolf again. 

Her paws shook. Those damn green eyes. They flashed in her mind with each whimper from the wolf. 

She couldn’t stand hurting another innocent mammal, but she couldn't let it get to her family.

What was she supposed to do to make the scared, hurt wolf stop? 

Her conscience couldn’t allow her to hurt it if it was innocent, but she couldn’t let it get closer either!

Her memory dragged her back to when she had ambushed her fox. 

He was lying there against the tree. A wound on his shoulder, another on his thigh. She had watched him struggle to bandage himself. He failed miserably. He couldn’t manage to do it with one paw and it had been pitiful when his discomfort had become so apparent that it made her hurt.

She hated seeing it, especially since she had done it to him.

She had done something so reckless then… She had stepped forward, right next to the fox and bandaged the wounds for him… 

He could’ve killed her. She had let her guard down completely. It wouldn’t have been hard.

But Nick hadn’t. 

He was a good mammal. Innocent, hurt because of her; good and kind and needing of someone that cared enough to do that for him.

The thought that came to her mind next was insane.

_ No- I- I can’t do that- what if- what if- _

_ What if he’s innocent? Her _ conscience spoke up over her.

And it did look that way. Everything had pointed to it except the fact that he was a predator.

She watched his paws as they scuffed the dirt weakly digging, somewhat running out of steam.

Her mind went to when Nick had sliced up those potatoes for the pancakes they had made the kits. Powerful and dangerous… able to parry apart flesh… 

But not wanting to harm them.

She held her paws to her head tightly. She couldn’t believe she was about to do something so stupid, so reckless, so inconceivable…

But she couldn’t stand hurting this creature anymore.

She balled herself up like a coil. 

She vaguely recalled the last time she had used this tactic on a predator. She had kicked a fat fox on its nose and had gotten sliced in the face for it, but it had propelled her away from the dangerous predator. 

This time it would be used to get closer to one. Hopefully, this time she would get out unscathed.

With all her power, with everything she could put into her legs, she jumped from the unwidened parts of the tunnel and at the torso of the giant wolf in front of her.

Antony hadn’t been expecting anything from the rabbit except for cuts. 

He had accepted that. It was as scared as him, and he was making it more scared. But he had accepted that it was better than being near Marcus. 

But what he hadn’t expected was for the rabbit to leave the safety of the narrow passage. It had jumped at him, something that made him flinch at the expectation of pain.

But what followed wasn’t agony and suffering. Not even discomfort. It was-

Judy climbed up the wolf’s torso and up to its throat. Gently, her arms wrapped around the neck of the massive canine. They couldn’t even really go around it entirely. But she tried. 

It was all a crazy effort. But maybe, just maybe it would stop if she let it know that it wasn’t alone. It was something that her fox had helped her with, and she had helped him with.

“Stop.” Her voice was soft. She gently shushed the wolf’s crying. It had never stopped weeping even as it had dug. 

“It’s okay, everything's gonna be okay.”

She didn’t really know what else to say. She had half-expected for it to start growling and scratching at her. 

But it didn’t. 

So she cooed whatever soothing things she could to it.

And slowly, she felt its movements stop. It wasn’t digging anymore… just sobbing… 

What was happening?

Antony didn’t know. 

He hadn’t felt something like this in a long time. The rabbit was…

Hugging him.

He had hugged Mister Wolford, but even then the wolf didn’t really hug him back.

It made him cry all the more. 

It was sweet and wonderful and-

Not a fantasy. Not something that he had made up in his head or a hope that wouldn’t come true. It was real. 

Someone was hugging him, holding him like he mattered. 

His paws stopped digging as he cried all the louder. 

Judy felt a weight against her back. Its paws were resting against her. They weren’t harming her or trying to pull her away. 

Just… holding her, a little too tightly, but that was okay.

She gave a weak, unsure smile,

“Everything’s going to be okay.” 

She didn't know if it was true or not. She really didn’t. 

It wasn’t like she could take this wolf with her. Even if she wanted to, it couldn’t fit through the escape exit. And with more wolves coming (and sounding much closer,) and the very dangerous one outside… she couldn’t do anything for it.

She could feel tears, some from her, some dripping from the mammal above her, covering her face. 

She could at least be there for it right now. 

It wasn’t much to offer, but she gave it her empathy.

It was all he had ever wanted. For others to understand him, to accept him. Antony didn’t know if that was what this really was, but he took it anyway.

And for a moment, even if it was only a moment… everything was okay. He could live in this moment forever, holding someone who cared about how he felt. The bunny was soft and it let him hug her back, and with its paw it would gently scratch the side of his neck.

His sobs softened and for the first time… he felt comforted. 

Truly comforted… 

Until another voice echoed in the tunnel

“Carrots! Judy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would expect this story to have approx 6 or so more chapters in it before its finished! (Maybe an epilogue too.) I would guess that would be about 30k-40k more words then! I can't believe I'm getting so close to done with it!!! Let me know what you think so far! Am I making some big mistakes or overlooking anything? What's going on?


	25. Weathering The Storm Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick finds his bunny held by a blood soaked wolf. What's to happen?  
> Judy struggles with what it would mean to make the world a better place.  
> Antony feels...happy, but something's wrong.  
> The howling had stopped... And Marcus has been unsettlingly quiet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had a blast writing this chapter! Hoping you guys enjoy it as much as I had. A little longer than most.  
> Also, Chapters 14-20 have been grammatically and structurally revised, details improved, repetitive sentences removed, and small things added to improve story cohesion and immersion. Not essential to reread, the story is still the same, but a lot more palatable.

**Weathering The Storm Part II**

- **A few minutes earlier** _-_

Nick had been diligent in his task. Every scrap of fruit and vegetable he could find, a few bits of meat and bugs, little bits of cloth and needles, everything essential, he shoved in the knapsack. He had plenty to choose from, his wintry storage was far from sparse, but sadly almost everything would have to be left behind in the wake of this attack. 

They would only be able to escape _their_ den with what they could carry.

_Our den…_

His heart twinged at the loss. Just a few days before he had opened up his den to them… He had told Judy that he wanted them to live with him… to make a life with him _here_.

This place was supposed to be where they would make beautiful memories… where they could belong as a family. Where he could watch the kits grow and play and live without fear, and where he could wrap Judy in his arms and hold her… and maybe even feel her lips pressed to his again… 

He stared forlornly at the abundant supplies in front of him. 

He took a deep breath trying to calm his nerves. There was hope still, he couldn’t lose sight of that. They could rebuild their lives even during this cold winter as long as… 

_Please Karma, please let it still be there._

His paws clenched tightly around the bag, whether it was from his anxiety or at the latest string of worrying noises from the entrance tunnel, he couldn’t say. Both were unsettling, but the thought that his bunny was in the midst of all the noise from the tunnel soon took the forefront of his concern. He did his best to block out the intermittent growls and furious shouting from above, not wanting his instincts to overwhelm him and force him to abandon his task and go to the defense of his bunny.

_She’s strong, you know she’s strong… just- just let her do this. Trust her._

He loosened his grip trying to relax. 

_She’s doing her part. Just focus on-_

He frowned as his ears picked up the whimpering from the little rabbits in the basket.

_Focus on them, they need you more than ever._

He certainly wasn’t wrong. The kits couldn’t comprehend everything that was going on, but they knew full well what animal made these terrible sounds and what they could do to their family. And it showed… Each time a particularly frightening noise or shout came from the tunnel, their cries sharpened. With each terrible growl, they relived their worst nightmare… only this time they were trapped just how their family had been.

_Karma, Why do they have to go through this again?_

Nick closed the knapsack and strapped it shut. It was about as full as it was going to get, and he couldn’t stand for them to suffer alone any longer. He stood up and hurried over to the bed where the kits were. 

He was almost ready to call Judy back to the den. Now, he just had to calm the little ones enough so they wouldn’t try to jump from the basket or panic while he carried them in their escape. It would be a nightmare in its own right if one of them jumped from the basket out in the snowstorm and ran, or scrambled out while he carried them through the escape tunnel.

Quickly, (and a little too roughly,) Nick snatched the basket off the bed and carried them towards the storage enclave. The sudden movement had startled the little kits something fierce, and with an increase in their cries and frantic movements under the blankets, Nick was quick to set them down and coo his reassurances.

“Hey, hey, it's just me, everything's going to be alright, okay?”

He at least hoped it would be. They had a plan, they had a way out, he knew where to go and was confident that even in this storm he could get there. As long as the place was still intact, and nothing unforeseen stops them everything would be alright. 

_We can get through this._

His familiar voice offered support to the kits, and after a long moment of verbally consoling them and petting the top of the blanket gently, their cries died down. 

_Okay. Now for the hard part._

Nick had to talk to them and make sure they wouldn’t do anything unexpected. He dreaded taking away the security that the blanket gave them, but he knew how crucial it was that they wouldn’t panic when he would be carrying them through the storm. 

_I won’t lose them._

He steeled himself, paws hovering over the top and ready to find a way to gently unravel the cloth and commiserate the bunnies from the loss of security. However, before he could act, movement from underneath caught his eye.

Two long white ears popped up from the basket, followed by the speckled white head of the oldest of the kits. Ollie peeked her head out from the blanket, fearful brown eyes locked with the fox’s worried but loving greens. 

Like her elder sister, Ollie was brave… and like her sister she was scared too. For herself yes, but much more so for the two quivering bunnies with her. Nick could see the outline of her little paws underneath the blankets. Gently, the little doe petted her distressed younger siblings trying her best to soothe them. 

It broke the fox’s heart that she had to be so strong for her young age.

_No kit should have to go through so much._

“M-mister Nick-” She almost burst into tears at the relief of seeing the kind fox. The situation was just too overwhelming. “Wh-What’s happening, wh-where’s J-Judy?!” 

Little Ollie put on a brave face and kept her lip from quivering, but sobbing when under so much pressure was reflexive for a child so young. Tears ran down her cheeks freely, and with both paws already taking care of her siblings, she couldn’t wipe them away.

“Hey, hey,” His voice was soft and his paws settled on the sides of her face. 

They were massive compared to her small stature, but he was gentle as he framed her face. His touch covered over her ears as well, and muffled the frightening noises around them. Like the blanket, she felt a layer of safety from how his paws sheltered her. Ollie’s crying eased as Mister Nick gently hummed little encouragements and wiped away the stray tears that settled in her fur.

Nick gave a sad smile when Ollie found the courage to look up at him again.

“It’s going to be okay, Speckles.” He hoped the use of her nickname would make her smile, even in this dark situation. He wasn’t disappointed, even if it was only the tiniest of slivers to grace the bunny’s lips. 

Nick sounded more optimistic than he felt, his worry for Judy nagged at his instincts constantly. “Judy’s just… doing her part for us.”

It was tough for him to admit that. Even though it was their best option to let her fight, he still hated it. Even injured, he would’ve preferred to defend his bunny… to defend his... 

_Mate._

The word reverberated through his mind. He swallowed his anxiety, now was NOT the time to explore that avenue of thought.

Softly, he scratched Ollie’s ears with his claws and continued, “And… Judy’s counting on us to be _strong_ and do our parts too. Okay?” 

His voice was a boon for the little doe, and the gentle scritches made her tense body slacken.

_“_ Strong _?”_ She questioned, courage daring to inflect in her voice.

The fox nodded his head in affirmation. He knew that would catch her ear.

“Judy’s counting on us all to be as strong as we can, Ollie. Do you think you can do that for her?”

_Judy’s counting on us!_

The very thought made the doe want to leap into action for her sister! ...But as quickly as she perked, another string of terrible sounds came from the tunnel, followed by angry shouting from above and terrified whimpering from the siblings next to her. 

She deflated… The scary noises, and her frightened siblings were quick to bring her back to reality. Tenderly, she scratched Ashes’ ears trying to soothe the buck.

“But- but I’m n- not strong enough t- to do anything Mister Nick…”

Another tear rolled from her brown eyes. She wanted to help, oh so badly she wanted to help, but she wasn’t strong enough. And she knew it.

“I- I can’t help anyone.” She whimpered against the fox’s paw.

His clawed thumb wiped another stray tear. 

“You make Judy stronger, remember?” He said softly.

That morning Ollie had broken down, realizing that she’d truly lost her family… She had felt so weak for bursting into tears like that.… It had taken the rabbit she looked up to the most to convince her that it was okay… 

‘ _Even I need to cry sometimes’_ Judy had told her. Her _strong_ sister cried too… Judy felt fear and sadness the same as her… but what kept her strong was-

_‘My family that loves me.’_

Ollie sniffled lightly, pulling herself together again, “Judy’s strong be-because we love her.”

“That’s right.” Nick smiled at the little doe, “You’re doing everything you can for her already just by loving her and staying safe for her.”

Mister Nick’s words made sense… but even so, Ollie’s ears drooped at not being able to do more. She wanted to help more than that, she wanted to be there for someone.

“You know,” he placed a careful paw on one of the trembling masses next to Ollie, “Judy’s not the only one who needs you to make them feel strong, Speckles.” 

He could feel the little Ashes underneath the blanket shiver in fear. The poor kit was definitely the worst affected having actually seen the wolf chase them into the den. 

“They need you right now.”

As Nick removed his paw, the little buck under the covers leaned in closer to Ollie for support.

_They need me…_ Ollie knew she wasn’t strong enough to fight, and wouldn’t be useful in packing anything… but she knew what she could do… 

The little doe put on a brave face, “I- I’ll love them, Mister Nick! I’ll keep them safe!” 

And just like she had heard Judy and Mister Nick promise them, she made a promise too, “N-no matter what!”

With pride, he smiled again at the little rabbit tucking under the blankets. She had more courage than any mammal her age had the right to be, and undoubtedly she had learned it from another rabbit he had grown fond of.

_One day she really is gonna be like you, Carrots._

Nick’s ears perked as he heard tiny whispers of encouragement underneath the blanket… Little promises that things were gonna be okay, that Judy was gonna beat up the wolves, and that Mister Nick was gonna take care of them… and that she wouldn’t let anything happen to them because she loved them.

He was more than confident that Ollie would keep them calm through their escape and the storm. Her little assurances even snaked into his own heart.

He spoke softly, “I’m gonna lift you guys up now, okay?”

There was a second of hesitation before he heard the little, white bunny answer,

“Okay, Mister Nick,” Ollie responded, “I got them.”

He lifted them up. 

For a second he heard scared whimpers from little Cotton and Ashes, but Ollie was quick to stifle it. “It's just Mister Nick, he’s gonna get us outta here and later he’s gonna let us cuddle with him and Judy and-” 

Little Ollie kept on talking, she was a light of hope for the little ones and even for Nick. He found himself believing her just as much as the kits were. 

The courage helped him as he focused on his task. With his free paw he forced the false backing off of the escape tunnel. Numerous supplies had been knocked from their shelves to the floor beneath him. It didn’t matter, he wouldn’t be able to take any of it anyway. 

With a thunk, the piece of wood that concealed their escape dropped from his paw onto the floor, along with a number of miscellaneous goods that had been in its way. The dark, rarely used tunnel laid open. As ominous as it looked, it was their ticket to living another day, their shot at surviving as a family. 

Gently, he set the kits in the mouth of the hollow. He wouldn’t have any trouble moving the basket along when they retreated from the den. Everything was in position, he turned back ready to call for his rabbit, they were ready to-

The sound of his bunny’s frantic shouts interrupted his confidence. A pit grew in his stomach at her words,

_“Stop! You have to stop-”_

He didn’t register much else after he heard that. And immediately his instincts tried to take control,

_She’s in danger! Our mate is in danger!_ His hindbrain screamed at him. _Your fault! She’s in danger because you put her there!_

He shook his head clear, he had to fix this, had to save her. He had to-

His foot bumped against the clutter that had fallen to the ground. It wouldn’t have registered at all if not for the strange clink his claw had made against the item. Not the sound of stone or wood, but the familiar noise of the only glass item that he owned.

Shakily, his paws reached down and tugged loose the one culprit from the clutter. He had never needed it before. For years it had sat on his shelf waiting to be used for this very purpose, and for as long as he had been packing… it had been right in front of his muzzle. He looked at the crude, glassy structure settled in his paws. The purple liquid was as viscous and intimidating as it had always been. The one difference he noticed was that it felt heavier now, as if the weight of guilt he had for panicking and forgetting about the damn thing had added to its total mass.

_You stupid, stupid fox! Karma! H-how could you forget something so important?!_

His paw clasped around the vial tightly as another long growl came from above. Nick could hear Ollie doing her best to ease her siblings through it, and he could hear a terrible commotion from the entrance tunnel, worse than the many previous ones. 

  
  


He closed his eyes tightly shut. _This, this better work, Duke._

His attention turned to the pile of clutter on the floor, quickly locking onto what they were looking for. He snatched up the spare fishing spear, thankful that Judy had taken the slightly shorter one that belonged to his mother.

He moved in a blur. The whole process of pouring the sticky, viscous liquid in one of the kit’s (former) bowls and drenching the end of the spear was lost on him. 

He had to be quick as he saturated the nasty liquid on the tip of the spear. 

The only input his mind asserted was the warning from the Duke. ‘ _Don’t touch the damn stuff, kid_ . _‘Less ‘yer just itching to kill yourself. In that case I won’t judge… just wait for me to leave first.’_

He hadn’t intended on using it for that, well at least most of him hadn’t at the time. But that didn’t matter anymore, he certainly wasn’t going to make that mistake now. 

He flicked an ear in the direction of the entrance tunnel… It had almost suddenly become silent, even the intimidating growling from above had ceased again. He could discern tiny mutterings, but from who he wasn’t sure. 

None of it eased his anxieties… Judy had distressedly yelled stop… and now it was quiet. His stomach twisted at what that could mean. 

_She’s everything._ His hindbrain reminded, _You can’t lose her._

His paws tightened around the fishing spear, careful not to get anywhere near the purple-tinged end of it.

Desperate to see if his bunny would come back to him, he yelled into the tunnel, 

_“Carrots! Judy!”_

**-Present Time-**

Judy’s ears perked up at her fox’s voice from the den. 

_Nick_!

He was calling to her! They could finally take the kits and leave and-

She felt a tremble from the arms wrapped around her. Her heart dropped again. 

_And…_ This poor mammal would be alone. And judging by what she had gathered so far… she might even be leaving it to die.

She knew she could practically do nothing for it, but… it would be another innocent mammal’s blood on her paws… only this time, 

_I … I’m here…_

With her family she hadn't been there, and she still blamed herself for what happened to them… But now… now she’s here. She’s in the very situation she had wished herself to be in for her loved ones… and she was thinking about abandoning the poor mammal to its fate. 

She was supposed to make the world a better place for her family… but if she left this poor innocent mammal to die, if she stood by and did nothing for others, would the world ever improve for them?

Her stomach hurt. Nick might’ve been right… maybe what happened to her family was out of her control, something she couldn’t stop from happening… but… this time was different. She was here, and what if-

_What if… What if I can make a difference?_

She found herself holding the wolf a little tighter,

“It’s okay… I’m not going anywhere…” She whispered to the wolf again, “That’s just Nick. He’s… a friend.”

Antony relaxed at her cooing voice. The little creature spoke in sureties. It was quiet now, except for her soft voice. It had a way of calming him down, he had been spoken like that since he was little. He missed it.

He focused on her last word,

_A friend?_ It made him sniffle lightly and nuzzle into the longears with the bottom of his muzzle. He had always wanted a friend. The word gave him hope, like when he connected with Mister Wolford earlier that day. 

If they were his friends would they help him? Would they keep Marcus away for good? Would they hug him like this forever? She did say she wasn’t going anywhere, did that mean she-

He tensed in fear at the loud shout in front of him,

“JUDY!”. 

Antony had initially thought it was Marcus… He didn’t think anyone was louder than his brother, but that wasn’t Marcus the voice was too different and his body didn’t hurt any worse than it did before…

In fact, now that he thought about it, Marcus was being quiet again… It gave Antony relief. But whoever this was that was yelling still frightened him terribly. His heart beat hard again and his head began to feel dizzy, the only thing that kept him anchored was the kind longears tightly pressed against his sore neck. She was so nice to him, he could stay here forever.

“Nick! I’m okay!” Judy yelled back, “Come here! But-” 

_How the heck am I going to explain all of this…_ The bunny asked herself,

“But for the love of Serendipity, please DON’T PANIC! I’m alright.”

Hearing her voice cutting through the quieted tunnel eased him. 

There was a lack of canid noises now… no growling from above, no howling in the distance… just the voice of his rabbit, himself, and the basket of kits behind him.

Nick did his best to keep a lid on his instincts as he crawled in the tunnel to retrieve her… He had hoped that she would come to him… if he had to come to her that could only mean one thing… 

_She’s hurt._

He hoped he was wrong, but what other reason could there be? 

Carrying the spear in his front paws hampered his movements slightly as he crawled the short distance. However, that wasn’t a problem. He would crawl in any condition and with any weight to reach her. Nick dragged himself right to where his bunny was… Supposed to be. 

He had thought her being injured was the worst case scenario, but he had been wrong.

Nick fraughtly scooted back at the sight of a crimson-smeared face that greeted his entry. 

His rabbit was nowhere in sight, instead he ran into an opened cavern occupied by a blood soaked wolf! 

The sight evoked many emotions in the fox. Fear, confusion, heartbreak, sorrow and anger all surfaced up in his chest and throat like bile. 

Judy was nowhere to be seen, and a predator covered in blood was where she was supposed to be. His paws clenched tightly around the wooden spear, and for the first time the warmth in his eyes iced over. 

_I… Carrots, where are you?!_

Worry and despair snaked around his lungs, squeezing the air from him. Was he still breathing? He had to be breathing because he was growling through his gnashed teeth at the dangerous predator in front of him. Where was his bunny? He didn’t see her. He had excellent night vision, but it was hard to see when everything was looking so bleary and his vision had watery streaks in it. 

“Carrots! Where’s Carrots!” The words came out loudly even though his teeth were clenched together tightly…

His rational mind had almost entirely checked out, leaving his instincts to take over to do what felt natural. His arms moved of their own accord, it wouldn’t matter what the wolf would say to get out of what was coming to it. Not unless it told him where his bunny was and only if she was okay. Even then, he wouldn’t be satisfied until he heard her voice, saw her with his own eyes, and felt her in his paws. He knew a wolf wouldn’t be interested in that. His arms thrusted forward with the spear, aiming at the neares-

“Nick, don’t!”

Jelly. His arms turned to jelly at the relief of hearing her voice. His caution wasn’t gone, but the seed of hope that had died at the sight of the wolf had sprouted to life again. He jolted back to reality. His glazed over eyes regained a semblance of their former color. 

“Carrots?!” 

His eyes searched for her, but they caught nothing but the white and red of the deathly still wolf in front of him.

“I told you not to panic!” She yelled again. 

He tracked her voice until he saw his beloved patch of grey… and that seed of hope was strangled just a little once again.

Wrapped up in two massive, intimidating arms and right under the wolf’s muzzle was his rabbit. 

Nick’s hackles raised on their own accord, but the distressed warning yip that ripped from his throat was completely conscious. It had his bunny! His mate! He readied his spear again, and the growl in his throat returned with a vengeance. Nick Wilde would fight tooth and claw for her, he wouldn’t let anything hur-

“Nick! Stop it, you’re scaring him!” 

Judy’s ears had picked up the tiny, frightened whimpers coming from the injured wolf’s throat. They felt a lot weaker than earlier, a little more distant, but they were there. To the canine’s credit, it had stayed as still and non-threatening as possible, but Nick was definitely unprepared for it all the same. Judy kept petting the thick fur of its neck, keeping it calm and at ease..

It appeared the wolf had more than Nick’s bunny, it also had his senses. He furrowed his brow at what he thought he just heard Judy say. 

_Scaring him?!_

It was invading their home and trying to kill them! What’s gotten into his bunny?! Didn’t she know what was going on?!

He watched in a dazed shock as his rabbit calmed the wolf down. His instincts demanded that he get her away, and defend her from the threat, but her behavior and her pleading with him had left his mind a disorderly jumble. 

He was short circuiting. His instincts shouted to defend her, and his mind and soul told him to give total trust to his mate like she had given full trust to him.

Stuck in his tracks, his instincts and mind battled over what steps he should take for his rabbit. The only faculty that the two parts of him had agreed on was his sight. Thoroughly, his eyes raked over his rabbit, or at least what wasn’t covered by massive paws and underneath the maw of the wolf. 

_...It's… it’s not her blood._ He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

He scrutinized how the wolf’s arms held her; it wasn’t a threatening hold, and likely one she could escape from if she tried. That only perplexed him further. 

His eyes widened as they found what he assumed was the main source of blood, a nasty gash on the wolf’s forearm, undoubtedly done by his rabbit. She had likely nicked something important considering the amount of blood that had come from the wound. Even now it still oozed slowly, likely only slowing thanks to the congealed blood stuck in its fur.

His ear flicked as he listened to Judy talking softly to the wolf, “Nick won’t hurt you, he’s just worried about me. It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Despite his bunny being okay, the kindness she was showing to the wolf, and the obvious fact that something had changed without his knowledge, Nick wasn’t feeling at ease with the beast holding her. 

How could he be? His instincts demanded that he get her away from the threat by any means. The only thing that kept him from lashing out at the other predator was his absolute trust in Judy. 

He held his hindbrain at bay; his mind told him to communicate with his mate, to figure out what was happening. However, his instincts were apparently not giving up yet, and instead of a question, a warning growl slipped from his muzzle.

“Nick, stop it! He’s not gonna hurt us!” Judy pleaded.

He would stop it, his mind told him to stop, but his instincts had to make absolutely sure that the other predator wouldn’t try anything. The two parts of his brain called it a compromise. 

It was unheard of for a fox to demand submission from a wolf, and this was certainly a first for him, but he had risked Judy’s safety enough by forgetting to give her the Nighthowler poison to fight with in the first place. He wouldn’t take another chance with her life like that. So, he gave in a little to his protective nature. 

Nick had witnessed wolven behaviors one time in his life many years ago. He had stumbled upon the large canines one time before when trekking out on his own for the first time, (and had luckily been downwind of them.) He hadn’t forgotten witnessing the angry growls and tense body language they would use to establish dominance. And in such an anxious situation he thought he would give it a shot.

He continued to growl, he was pretty sure that was one way of challenging another canine. He stared down the wolf as it weakly lifted up its muzzle to meet his gaze. Assuming by the flicked back ears and slow, frightened response, he was pretty sure he was winning too. 

He only hoped that the dangerous predator would get his messa-

Nick’s growl died in his throat as he met eyes with the other canid. He had expected an angry, bitter stare, or perhaps the look of a deceptive predator looking for a way to outsmart him, or _damn_ , anything else than what met his vision. 

But no, it had to be that pitiful, naive gaze… 

The same look that had been on Ashes after his nightmare, and on Cotton when she cried on his chest the day before, and on Ollie trying to be tough this morning when she couldn’t… His ears folded, what he saw was that familiar hallmark of anguish and fear only found on a traumatized child. He studied its face, and his chest tightened, the wolf’s face was accented by the telltale underdeveloped shape of the canine's muzzle and ears, yet to be fully grown into.

Nick’s stomach sank and his body felt weak...

He may have not been as little as the three in the den, but he was undoubtedly young. Certainly not in his teens, only a juvenile… 

Now that his eyes were focused on these little details, Even the blood that marred the wolf’s face and coat couldn’t hide the reality of what he was looking at. 

Nick knew what the face of a frightened child looked like.

_Karma, its… he’s-_

_“He’s a kit. Carrots, he’s just-”_ Nick’s throat went dry.

He had known immediately that the other wolf outside had been an adult… a vicious and merciless adult ready to steal his family from him.

But this one, wolf or not, was just a child. 

A million thoughts were racing through his mind: 

_‘Why did the other wolf send a kit to do this?’_

_‘Where’s the other wolf now? Did it leave?’_

_‘Does Judy know what’s happening? How did she find out he’s just a kit?’_

_‘Was I-’_

His eyes widened,

_Was… Was I about to-_

Nick’s paws began to shake. His eyes caught the purple tinge of the spear.

_I- I was gonna k-_

Nick was beside himself for a moment. The spear found itself pushed angrily to the side of the narrow tunnel. It wasn’t possible to push it far from him, but the repulsive thing was at least out of his paws. He involuntarily wretched and just barely had managed to hold down the contents of his stomach.

… _I almost killed a child_ … and if he had given it to Judy, she would have done it without realizing. The weight of guilt rested heavy on his shoulders. For once he had been glad to mess up. 

One paw soothed his throat after gagging, and the other dug into his tunic’s pocket looking for a familiar piece of cloth.

_What would you think about me, mom?_ He sighed deeply, perishing the thought. 

Instead, he replaced it with an almost inaudible apology, _“I’m sorry.”_

The apology was for the kit, as much as it was for his parents. Undoubtedly, he had disappointed them. His mind flashed to a scared beaver kit, he had _promised_ to be brave, loyal, helpful and trustworthy… he had promised not to scare a kit like that ever again.

He squeezed the neckerchief that found its way into his paw, 

_I’ll make it right, mom._

Quietly, he crawled a little closer, careful not to touch the discarded spear as he went by.

Nick hadn’t caught the distress his strangled words had put on his rabbit. Judy hadn’t known the wolf was just a child. There weren’t any indicators since it hadn’t talked much and she couldn’t make out details in the darkness… 

She had already deduced that this wolf was innocent, but… 

_A kit…_ Her heart ached all the worse. _I… I hurt a kit?_

Judy’s ears drooped heavily as she continued to pet the side of the shaky, whimpering wolf. It was calming down again now that Nick had stopped growling, but that did little to ease her distress for how she had hurt it. The doe kept a lid on her own tears for now, she had to focus on comforting the _kit_.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry I hurt you.” She pressed her face into his neck as she hugged a little tighter. 

Her eyes widened as she did. For the first time since she made contact with him, Judy could feel the skin give as she pressed against it and hear the wolf whine in mild discomfort. Only now did it dawn on her how swollen and puffy the poor child’s throat was under his fur.

_Someone… someone hit him._

And hard. Hard enough that the little wolf could barely speak at all right now. Her heart hurt all the worse. It was another piece to this terrible puzzle, this one telling her why the wolf had been so quiet. 

She tried to ease off of the sore wound, but the little kit wouldn’t let her. He only pushed her further against him, increasing the tightness of his hug. 

Her heart quivered, _he’s just a scared little kit._

“I- I’m sorry, I-it’s going to be okay.” She meant it too. As unrealistic as it sounded, she wanted to make the world a better place for this child too. 

She was sick of the cruelty in this world, sick that so many mammals, especially kits, were living damaged lives. Sick with the fact that if she stood by and did nothing or if she ran away, more kits would end up getting hurt like this one. She wouldn't let that happen.

“I’m here, sweetie. I’m not going anywhere.” Softly, she ran her paw against the sore part of his neck, “Everything’s gonna be alright.” 

She didn’t know how everything could turn out alright, but it had to. Serendipity, Karma, and whatever other deities there were owed it to them all. If the gods held up to their names in the least, they had to fix this. 

_You’re supposed to be there for us, Serendipity, you can’t be blind to this!_ It was a cry borne out of desperation and anger.

And it was in that cry to her deity that the rabbit finally noticed what both the fox and young wolf had noticed earlier. Silence. The wolf above had been deathly silent, and the approaching wolves had stopped howling. 

She wasn’t sure if that was a sign of goodwill by the gods, or an ominous omen for her anger at them.

Either way, with or without divine help, Judy had come to a conclusion,

_I have to help him._

Tenderly, her paws brushed against the side of the wolf’s neck, exploring the poor things injury as carefully as she could.

What Judy didn’t understand was that she had already offered more help to this wolf than he had ever dreamed of. Much like Nick, Judy had shown him trust, kindness, compassion, and _hope in_ one action. They were sentiments that had been lost on the others or suppressed. Feeling them so raw and true was more than he could ever have asked for.

Despite the soreness in his neck, little Antony only nuzzled into her further. He wanted to feel more of this. It was strange how being forced into this shallow hole was both the worst thing and somehow the best thing he’d ever experienced… 

He felt safe here. He had dug and dug and dug… and a part of him even believed that he had truly gotten away from Marcus. It was so quiet, and warm here. Everything was right in the world and he couldn’t think of anything that could make this better… 

Until he felt a new paw touch his arm.

This touch was bigger than the rabbits, and at first he thought it was Marcus coming back for him again. Antony pinched his eyes closed and shrank away from the contact, expecting for it to cause him distress.

Was it all just a fantasy again? Was Marcus back again? Was he going to lose his new friend? 

But the sting of pain never came. Instead, he was greeted with a soft voice,

“‘I’m sorry I scared you, big guy, it's okay I’m just gonna look at your arm. ” 

His eyes opened slowly to see a russet paw carefully resting over his crimson-stained fur. 

It was the redtail that had been so angry with him! 

But… he didn’t look mad anymore. His eyes were soft and a little sad as they looked at him and the longears against his neck. Antony’s head was fuzzy, but he was sure the redtail looked as scared as he had been when Marcus had first hit him. 

Just like the bunny had been scared, so was this fox, and now Antony understood. The fox had done all that because it was scared.

_Scared for her._ Antony settled down, his body loosened up again, the redtail’s voice wasn’t harsh or angry anymore… Instead, he seemed scared but… kind. Kind of like Mister Wolford. 

A little part of him hoped that what the rabbit had said earlier was true… 

_‘He's… a friend.’ Maybe… they’ll let me call them my friends. Maybe Dad will… let me play with them… and… we can…_ _be friends together… forever…_

Antony closed his eyes and rested again. He felt a distinct tiredness now, and was a little too dizzy to think perfectly clearly. Maybe he could just take a nap for a little while… Maybe his friends wouldn’t mind.

Nick noticed that the wolf relaxed at his words, and when the big guy closed his eyes again, the tod began to examine the wolf’s cuts. The forearm was badly torn from the rough fishing spear, and it wasn’t the only wound. He followed crimson stained trails in the white fur to another wound on his paw. This was bad, and judging by the wolf’s state, not his only injury. 

Nick’s ear flicked and his chest tightened at what he was hearing… the change in the kit’s breathing, the poor thing had passed out most likely from blood loss.

This was bad. And he wasn’t the only one to notice.

“Nick,” Judy whispered, “Is he gonna be okay?”

She could feel the wolf ease his grip on her, and her ears easily picked up the shallowness in his breathing.

He could feel the guilt riddled in her voice, and it killed him to tell her this, but he had to be blunt, lying wouldn’t help anyone.

“He’s- Carrots, he’s lost a lot of blood… we need to patch whatever cuts we can, NOW or he might-.”

He didn’t finish that sentence. It wouldn’t do either of them good.

There was a deathly silent pause between the two, the only sounds coming from Judy unraveling herself from the pup’s paws as fast as she could, and Nick taking off his tunic to use for scrap bandage. Judy scrambled out of the kit’s arms, a fact that only worried her more as the poor boy had been holding onto her so tightly before. 

The doe crawled down next to her fox who was now only covered by a loose shirt and a rough-stitched underlinen that went to his knees. Her small paws put pressure on the largest cut on the wolf’s forearm. It wasn’t bleeding profusely, but it definitely had been a steady enough ooze that it had taken a toll on the wolf. She listened to the sounds of the storm outside, listened for the dangerous wolf that had hurt this poor child so badly… but there was nothing… Distinctly, nothing. No growling, no distant howls approaching… just nothing.

_It wouldn’t just leave, would it?_

She listened more intently, but only caught the sound of tearing cloth from her fox ripping apart his overclothes. She tried to listen past it, but was derailed by her fox’s voice,

“Judy, what the hell is happening?”

**-0-0-**

Marcus had been pleased to hear his brother’s cries again and again. He had been even more pleased to smell the abundantly present metallic odor emanating from the foxhole. It was a deep, permeating fragrance, and at this point so present he could almost taste it as a vapor when he placed his muzzle near the den’s entrance. He inhaled deeply, it was a high for him to be sure. He loved it, and the fact that his brother’s blood had been spilt by a lower species had made it all the sweeter. 

He smiled at his handiwork. His designs were being accomplished, and when his ears picked up the growls of another canine in the tunnel it only grew. Little Antony was too much of a coward to growl, it sounded like the fox would join in the desecration of the little pelt. 

The fruits of his labor were paying off, and with the strong scent of coppery goodness penetrating the air even in this storm, he knew the first goal of his plan was all but inevitable. Antony wouldn’t survive in this condition. His cunning was immaculate, unparalleled, superior! 

Except there was a clear problem arising. A problem that stole his well deserved grin… 

The howling had stopped.

_Already close, father. You always like to ruin what I have don’t you?_

It had already been closer than he had liked, but now that it stopped altogether it was clear that they must have reached the general vicinity. They already knew he wasn’t going to answer them, so they were likely searching the area already.

He listened to his surroundings, drowning out what was happening beneath his feet. That didn’t matter anymore, he knew the runt was as good as dead… as long as he made sure the other wolves couldn’t reach him in time to treat him, the hole would be his grave.

Marcus suppressed his growl, very careful not to make a noise. In this storm he wasn't sure how close they were to him.

_No hints, father. You want to find your ‘special’ son, you do it on your own._

A wicked grin settled on his muzzle again. Marcus knew he couldn’t quietly get to the rabbit and fox now. The prey were loud and he was even louder, and that would give away their spot too early, and as easily as he could slash the runts throat, that still wouldn’t do. It wouldn't be an ‘accident’ that way, nor would Antony receive the shame he deserved if he died by his hand.

True, he wouldn’t get to cash in on the full capital of dispatching the desecrator and her fox himself or the pleasure of watching the light leave the pelt’s eyes… but he would get to watch Julius discover what happened to his precious son. He would get to see the horror and shame and sentiment of his father when he would pull the little Ant up from the makeshift tomb and find him ruined just like Sapper.

Oh the shame! Oh the wonderful shame that would be on his brother and father! 

And what could Julius say? ‘You’re not fit to be a leader because you sent a weak wolf to do a strong wolf’s job?’ Oh his genius! Marcus was pleased with himself, he could imagine the dismay of the Alpha as he pointed out that he only followed his father’s example… 

_What had you said about Sapper, father?_ He acted out the exchange in his head, _Oh that’s right…_

He recalled when Wolford had asked to retrieve Sapper’s body, _‘The weakest of us all. He couldn’t even survive against a longears.’_

Oh the delicious irony! An absolute delight he had been gifted by the Ancestors! Even if he couldn’t kill the longears and redtail himself he would accomplish the more important goal flawlessly! 

_They’ll see your hypocrisy and your sentiment clearly! You’ll lose either way, dad!_

He shook his head, at the word. That was a word for emotional wolves like Antony. He wouldn’t ever be like that again! He lifted his head with pride. He would follow the way of the Ancestors, he would stay true to the hardness and strength that wolves were known for, and he would lead the pack back to the correct path. Sentiment and empathy will be extinguished again, and those who embraced it will be a byword, nothing but scorn and vitriol will be shown for their behavior!

With pride, Marcus sat there quietly. It would take them at least a little while to find him in these conditions without help. That familiar, cruel grin slid into place, oh but they would find him. They would find him, and he would be glad to show them what had been wrought. The fruits of his labors, and the consequence of their sentiment.

_I’ll be waiting for you, father._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men [mammals] to do nothing." Very much an ideological battle at stake. 
> 
> I'm hoping to have the next chapter out a bit sooner than I've been getting them out recently :) A lot in my life is going on, but it always seems to be those times that I find myself more focused to write, ironically.


	26. Weathering The Storm Part III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Antony wakes up to a strange place to familiar mammals. Feelings are realized, and hope is found in the midst of their precarious place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note to Dakzoo: you were right last chapter. 😅 Oh gosh, so very right. Sorry for doubting you. Again and again I learn and forget that you can't force yourself to be faster at writing. I appreciate your comment.

**Weathering The Storm Part III**

- **Divine Winds** -

He felt warmer than he had ever felt before. Even warmer than that one particular fall when it had still been hot, but his white winter coat had decided to get a jumpstart on the seasonal change. 

However, unlike that occasion, the excess warmth the little wolf felt wasn’t uncomfortable. The opposite actually. To Antony, the heat felt similar to basking on a warm rock or being wrapped tightly in a warm blanket or… perhaps even embraced in a gentle hug. 

He frowned as he began to stir awake, he knew that last one wasn’t the case, no one had held him like that since he was a small pup. His father, as much as Antony loved him, would never show his emotions, his mother had long since checked out on caring about him, he hadn’t any friends, and his older brother Marcus was, well… Marcus.

Groggily, soft, naive eyes opened to survey what caused the warmth around him. Half-lidded, he stared at the sunny, green and purple meadow he was laying in. In his dazed state he couldn’t help but inhale the wonderful aroma of the flower meadow he found himself in, the smell of violets and recent rain filled his nose. 

The fact that it was so strong would’ve surprised him if he was more awake. Never had his nose functioned very well as a wolf, and his nose working properly for once should’ve caused the pup to bolt up with excitement. However, coupled with his tiredness, the scent made him feel relaxed, and in a way… feel at home. 

For Antony, that was enough investigating. His curiosity was sated, his mind was at peace, and the land of slumber was beckoning him to return. Slowly, with the help of the velvety grass beneath him, the warm rays of sunshine from above, and the comforting scents of the flowery meadow around him, he closed his eyes to settle back into sleep. 

The pup snuggled into the warm embrace of the soft ground underneath his muzzle, and let out a content whine as his nose enjoyed the strong scent of fresh rain beneath him. 

His brain perked at the airy giggle elicited by his ears right above him. Confused, the little wolf tried to lift his head to see what had made that strange noise, but he had been too slow. A gentle scritching on the back of his ears melted his resolve and curiosity and he slumped back down into the softness of the velvety grass beneath him. 

_ This has to be a dream…  _ The little wolf thought, unable and unwilling to fight against whatever was scratching the back of his ears.

He was being held hostage by the comforting force striking from above, and soon he’d settled again, much too happy to question whatever was causing this sensation. His chest rumbled his satisfaction and very lightly his tail wagged. He liked this dream.

Gradually however, the scritching slowed to a stop. The little wolf let out a sigh of discontent, still wanting whatever dazed illusion he was having to continue. 

Another giggle from right above his head, this time followed by what he knew had to be two very small paws grasping the sides of his face. He smiled lightly again, this dream felt so real. 

And then he felt an ever so light  _ touch _ on the top of his head. 

The touch was unique, one that hadn’t been like that of a paw and only distantly familiar to the young wolf. His memory jogged for a second, and vaguely, an image of so long ago from when he was a tiny pup surfaced. A memory where he had been picked up right before bed by a slightly less cynical shewolf and given a gentle peck between the ears. He frowned, at the wistful memory before the gears began to turn in his head.

Antony’s eyes opened wide at the realization of what he had just felt… and it had felt much too real, much too similar to that of the old memories that panged his heart. He had to know what was happening, he had to know if this was all really just another dream that would end with him waking up in tears with no one who would even hold him, much less kiss him. His throat involuntarily let out a whine… Would this all just be another fantasy of his that was real until he tried to touch it? Would he wake up alone like every other day? 

He could feel tears trying to leave his eyes, he had to have answers. Who had just kissed him like he had experienced when he was a pup?! Was this even real? Was he really being held and hugged and kissed like he had been so long ago?

He tried to lift his head again, unsure of what was happening, but he couldn’t move much to see. He felt two strong, but lithe arms holding his head down. His ears focused at a tender, feminine voice cooing to him gently, trying to calm him.

“Shhh, it’s okay sweetheart. You’re safe here. You’re safe, little one. Just relax, okay?”

There was something about the gentle voice that soothed him immediately, something familiar that he struggled to grasp at. Had he spoken to this mammal before? He wasn’t able to remember much of anything right now, his mind was a fog that couldn’t be cut through, so he wasn’t sure… 

But his heart was a different story. 

Antony, as much as he tried to imitate his father, was fundamentally different from him. His decisions were made with his heart rather than his mind. And whether it was the strange air of familiarity or the soft, pleading voice, his heart told him he could  _ trust _ whoever this was.

He wasn’t able to see much with his head held down, but now wide awake, he was piecing together this strange place he was in. He was most definitely in a meadow, and most of his body was lying in grass like he had thought. However, he noticed now that underneath his muzzle it was much softer. His head hadn't been resting on the grass, but instead in the lap of whoever was with him. 

Out of his peripheral, he could tell that her body was positioned to the side of his face, her legs laid underneath his muzzle and she had been scritching his ears and petting his fur. His eyes widened… He realized she had hugged him softly as he had slept…. And just a moment ago, she had kissed the top of his head. 

Even now, he could still feel her paws run through his fur as she held him. 

And finally it occurred to him,

_ She… she’s real. _

This wasn’t fantasy.

For her part, she had begun to scratch and smooth over the fur around the wolf’s head and neck. And it seemed to be working wonders. The little rabbit was thankful for her fox companion to have taught her how to soothe canids over the years. And thanks to witnessing how Judy and the little guy bonded in that terrible tunnel, she was able to get him to settle his muzzle into her lap with little protest.

The rabbit doe leaned her weight against his head and gently spoke to relax the little wolf, 

“It's okay little one, you’ve been through so much, but everything’s going to be okay. Just rest for now and we’ll talk soon, alright sweetheart?”

The rabbit was right of course. He'd been through more than any of the others she had witnessed, and even if it was only for one more moment, she wanted him to enjoy the peace and serenity of her realm. It wasn’t often a canid would find its way here.

Although he wasn’t sure what she was talking about, something about the way she had said it made Antony tear up. Her words were so familiar, so recent, and yet because he couldn’t remember anything, it also felt so new… and it felt like she-

_ Sh-she cares. _

He nuzzled deeply into her side and let out a little whine, one part contentment, the other an overdue longing for more affection.

Antony couldn’t directly see her in his field of vision, but he could tell she was small by the way her legs felt underneath his muzzle and her frame against him. She definitely wasn’t a wolf. 

But that didn’t matter to him. 

For once, he didn’t feel alone. His paws, not being held back by the rabbit, gingerly came up to the mammal who held him. Carefully, as not to scare her, he wrapped his paws around the tiny frame that comforted him in a show of both gratitude and a desperate need to return what she was giving him.

Even if it was possible for him to hurt her, the rabbit doe wouldn’t have been worried. She had both seen his heart, and had the affirmation of her fox companion vouching that he had a clean slate,  _ innocence,  _ the vixen had called it. A rare thing in this cruel world. It was easy to say he wouldn’t have hurt her. She was more worried he would have tried to run away thanks to some of his last moments, but luckily Judy and Nick had comforted him well as he had drifted off. 

She frowned at that sad fact, The rabbit was good at judging hearts, her job demanded it, and this wolf had passed her expectations with flying colors. Which was why she hated that she and her companion had to see him directly in the first place. A good-hearted mammal shouldn’t have to fear like that, and they shouldn’t have to end up here so early. 

She slid her paw through the fur on the side of his face, feeling information only privy to her. His heart didn’t change since she had first seen him.

_His heart’s_ _untouched by both the cruelty of nature and the poisonous doctrines of those cruel, old dogs._

She frowned as she heard him whimper…she realized she was looking too deep too quick and stopped her inquiry. 

His mind eased, and he settled in her lap again, gripping her a little tighter.

_ But also left starving for the warmth of affection. _

The rabbit worried not when the wolf’s massive paws had tightened. There was little room for concern when she knew he could  _ only  _ react this way… when she knew he could only try to cling to someone who  _ showed _ him that they cared.

She tightened her grip back in response, returning every bit of affection she could. She had witnessed many wolves over the centuries, and never had she expected to experience something like this… but she had always  _ hoped _ she would.

The doe blinked away a tear. It had taken so many years and setbacks to get this far in making the world a better place where different mammals could come together. Her and her fox companion had overseen so many failed attempts to change the hearts of wolves in the past, all had ended in disaster. The toll on her heart had never grown accustomed to the blood that resulted from their attempted interference. The weight of their failures had never left them.

And holding this little wolf now… bringing every bit of consolation and joy she could to him, in a way it cleansed at least a small part of her conscience. An apology to all those that they couldn’t break through the Ancestral barrier for.

She used her shoulder to wipe her own tears away, she wouldn’t dare let the pup go to do so, the little guy starved for this attention, and she wouldn’t deprive him of it for even a second.

The only thing the rabbit doe wished for was that he hadn’t had to suffer so much to finally receive the affection he had so desperately wanted. It had been heart wrenching for her to witness, in some ways just as heart wrenching as the retaliatory strike the wolven gods had helped lead to on Judy’s home for  _ her _ actions. And she and her fox companion had only been able to make sure Judy and the youngest of kits had been able to escape.

The rabbit doe gave a sad smile trying to forget that tragedy by watching his body rise and fall as he breathed in her scent. She was glad he had managed to capture Judy’s scent, it looked to comfort him on an instinctual level. The rabbit could only guess how long the little guy had been alone for the only scent that had mattered in his mind to be Judy’s…

_ Years…  _ She concluded. Whether or not his sense of smell was weak, the only way for him to not have any particular scent bonds would be for him to be mostly alone for years. 

She felt him carefully run his paw down one of her arms, as if he was still testing if she was real or not. Her ears fell to her back.

… _ Undoubtedly years. _

She struggled to clamp down on her sadness for him. 

_ And the first time he received anything of the sort was in that nightmare of a near death experience that his body is still barely hanging on through.  _

Again, the rabbit doe could only be thankful for the quick bond that Judy had built with him, if not for that the little wolf would have woken up in that terrible wintry forest those wolven gods had conjured up. She shuddered at the thought. If those Ancestral jerks had the chance to take him, the little guy would’ve woken up only to suffer the same lonely existence and cruelty he had faced for most of his life. 

…And undoubtedly, he wouldn’t have been able to fight back to the world of the living no matter how hard Judy and Nick tried for him.

For the second time the rabbit doe kissed him between his ears, “You are loved, little one. Loved so much.”

If not by anyone else, at least by her and her fox companion… and the rabbit doe had a hunch that Nick and Judy wouldn’t be far behind. If there were any mortals that resembled the old gods themselves, it was them two. 

She felt Antony completely settle after she had said that. With a smile, the doe loosened her grip entirely and opted to pet the back of the little wolf’s neck and head again. He was totally relaxed, content … and yes, he was  _ loved _ . 

The smallest of smiles crept on Antony’s muzzle. It sure did feel like a dream, it had to be, and yet it couldn’t be, it was all too real. And now he couldn’t get that word from the tiny mammal who held him out of his head… 

_ L- Loved _ ? M-me?

Like so many other things, that word only survived in distant memories and wistful, lonely sleep. To hear it so clearly used overwhelmed his relaxed body and soon he broke free from the mystery mammals grasp. 

But he didn’t break free to get away from her, quite the contrary. He had gently but excitedly tackled the creature before scooping her up and pulling her to the center of his chest, a strong hug that was fully on his terms and with all his energy.

As for the rabbit, she had seen it coming. His heart wouldn’t allow for anything else after that. She had felt it explode in excitement, and unlike before when she was concerned that the little wolf would feel confused or panicky, she hadn’t a problem letting the child run free with his emotions when he was most definitely  _ happy _ . 

Antony was no longer ginger with his emotional expressions. Although his recent memory was still very foggy and he didn’t remember doing it, he had hugged Wolford with all his might. 

This creature wouldn’t receive anything less. 

With his tail wagging happily, the little wolf held her to him. He sat down in the grass, with the rabbit firmly with her before leaning his muzzle down running his nose against the top of her head. 

His eyes had remained tightly shut as he enjoyed letting his emotions run free, and only now, as he heard another airy giggle form the mammal below, did he open his eyes to see the smiling longears he was holding in his paws.

His tail didn’t stop wagging, not with the smile she was giving him and the kind, purple tinged eyes that stared at him with approval and encouragement. Deep down some part of himself had told him that this had happened before. He couldn’t recall ever meeting a rabbit before now and yet…  _ he knew  _ this embrace, this scent, those eyes. This was both something special and familiar.

She chuckled at the cold, damp nose tickling her head and ears, but didn’t push the pup away. Unlike what she had gathered with foxes, scenting for a wolf was different, being much more familial than anything.

With a happy smile and a gentle scratch against one of his arms holding her tightly, the rabbit encouraged the little wolf’s affection. 

Happily, she softly spoke against his chest, “You know, you’re a bigger sweetheart than even Karma had thought, Antony. And she’s a really good judge of character.”

His ears perked. She knew his name. He hadn’t a clue how, but she knew it. However, that shock passed quickly. He was honestly just too happy to feel loved. The question of how she knew who he was just couldn’t survive with the rush of emotions he was feeling right then. 

But even that feeling was forgotten for a moment too at something else new,

“He’s a lot like Nick too, isn’t he Ser?” Another feminine voice was suddenly approaching from behind the wolf and bunny.

At the presence of the new mammal, Antony had jumped and tightly pressed the kind bunny to his neck, as if he was worried whoever had walked up might try to take her away from him. He felt the tiny paws of the rabbit smooth over the fur around his neck and softly reassure him,

“It’s okay, Antony… I’m not going anywhere. That’s just Karma, she’s a… friend… she’s only here to help, okay?” 

Her words calmed him down, much faster than what anyone would have expected. 

_ Friend?...  _ He felt confused… this- this was familiar to him too. He had heard that before, He turned to see who had approached them in their meadow. 

_ … A- a redtail? _

A redtail with familiar green eyes. And although he didn’t recognize her voice, just like the rabbit he had awoken to, this vixen felt all too familiar to him too. His shoulders subconsciously slumped and relaxed at the warm stare she was giving him.

_ Friend.  _ The word echoed in his head.

_ Sh- she’s my- _ He didn’t know how he knew it, but he knew it. The warm green eyes that met him didn’t lie.  _ M- my friend. _

He had a friend. Two friends, actually. 

_ Friends _ !

These mammals were his friends!

Antony felt both the weight of his anxiety drop from his shoulders at knowing this redtail wasn’t here to try to take his rabbit, and simultaneously a new shock of excitement at knowing that he had friends. 

As he sat, his body didn’t know what to do. He was stuck in indecision at both wanting to jump up and tackle his other friend in a hug and not wanting to let go of the rabbit already in his grasp. 

The vixen watched the pup with interest. Her rabbit companion’s words had soothed the wolf, but even more so they had excited and sparked the little guy’s memory in a healthy way. She had a very good idea why. Ser’s words were strikingly similar to Judy when she calmed the little wolf. Coupled with how Antony held the rabbit tightly against his neck, and the similarities she took on to resemble Nick and the pup was quick to feel an underlying emotional connection. After all, Nick and Judy had both shown that they cared for him, making it easy for the pup to see them as friends.

The vixen had caught on very quickly to his conundrum and made the decision easy for the pup. He was already sitting down, so the much smaller canid simply walked up and slipped herself under one of his crossed arms to grasp the pup’s side.

Antony didn’t try to reach out to her, but she could easily tell that her gesture had made the little wolf ecstatic. She chuckled at watching his tail swat at the unlucky flowers that were in its wagging range. 

_ `Tsk. You know Ser, sometimes you and that rabbit of yours are just too alike, the kit might never be ready to put you down after saying that you love him.`  _ The fox thought.

Unsurprising to the vixen, her companion answered her thoughts, 

_ `Rabbit of mine? Oh don’t act like she hasn’t grown on you too.`  _

The vixen smiled. She knew that her friend was exactly right. and it would be unfair and a waste of valuable time to tease her, but still… She was a fox.

_ `Like a fungus.`  _ The vixen hid her smile from the nearby rabbit doe. She could feel the rabbit’s easily gained mental ire at the jab, but decided to mostly placate her companion. _ `You know I’m joking Ser. Besides, Judy grows on everyone… Good thing you stepped in or Nick may have had competition in a few years with scruffy here.` _

The rabbit rolled her eyes at her companion, she knew if she bit she’d only be teased further by the vixen. She opted instead to answer her companion’s previously asked verbal question.

“Yes, he’s like Nick a lot.” Ser answered out loud, trying to quell their internal conversation, “He’s very sweet and he likes rabbits.”

Antony squeezed a little tighter at the compliment, although he didn’t pay much attention to the short conversation as a whole.

The vixen mentally huffed at the doe ending her fun prematurely, but let it go. They were still on a time restraint. They had to do their best to help this poor little wolf, Ser was right, he was sweet, and like Nick he hadn’t let the loneliness of their lives crush them even when they had every right to give in. She would do everything she could to help him both physically and mentally before he had to face off with the mortal world again.

The vixen gently touched Antony’s arm, “Hey love, may I look at your paw?”

Like the fox expected, his body stiffened at the request and he began to shake.

She already knew he wouldn’t want to. She had hidden his memories of what happened from him so he wouldn’t give up when he came to in this world. But now that question had spurred something in his mind. Deep down, no matter how well the vixen numbed his pain, the little wolf knew something was very wrong. 

She suppressed a sigh,  _ He’s just not ready to face that, no kit would be. Its- _

Her eyes widened as she watched one of his arms shakily unravel from the bunny he held against his neck. Verdant greens watched as his paw traveled right in front of her frame. 

He had even known what paw she had wanted to see without prompting. Both her and Ser could feel the waves of fear sparked by her simple request, the anxiety in his heart and the trouble in his mind… and yet his paw was freely being given to her.

Her ears perked at the tiny whispers the wolf began to mutter to himself with, “F-friends. Th-they’re my friends, r-remember? I- it's okay.”

The vixen gave a sad smile at his barely audible words. He was willing to listen to those he cared about even when it hurt him to do so. She knew how much trauma he had been through and yet here he was, willing to go through more for the sake of those he considered his friends.

She gingerly took his paw to examine it. Gently, she turned it over to look at the leathery pad before sliding up to his forearm. She gave an approving smile to what was only visible to her.

_ Good work, Nicky. Your parents will be so proud to hear about this. _

The vixen and rabbit weren’t able to miraculously heal his wounds or teleport them all to safety. Things simply didn’t work that way when they tried to influence the mortal realm, and in retrospect that was for the best considering the number of deified influences trying to exert their will. 

So sadly no miraculous and drastic healings were in the cards. However, she could slow down blood loss while her rabbit companion reduced the swelling in his neck. Together they could ease his pain in both the spirit and body. And even though they couldn't heal his wounds outright, very fortunately, or perhaps divinely expected, both of the mortal mammals they had taken special interest in were doing a fine job of patching up the little wolf’s wounds.

Russet paws rubbed his forearm gently while she quietly worked to ease the hidden injuries in his body, and already she could tell Ser was doing the same thing for the trauma around his neck. 

She spoke with surety and consolation as she listened to him whimper, “Friends are people you can trust, Antony. Everything is going to be okay. Have faith.”

The vixen watched as he gave a little nod to her words. A small frown tugged at her lips as she saw that his eyes were clenched shut, still too scared to open them while she held his arm like this. She could see how troubled his heart was as it battled with mixed emotions and painful memories trying to break through. He whined pitifully and shook his head as the distressing memories subconsciously began to trickle in.

She may have tried to bring them back too much too soon, but now that she started, they couldn’t risk stopping or he might close off entirely to them.

_ `We need to calm him down, Ser.` _

_ `You know what calms down a hurt kit better than anyone else, Karma…` _

_ `He’s not a fox, he-` _

_ `Neither are the kits in the den. It’ll work.` _

She sighed internally. All mothers knew what would calm down a child better than anything else. She was unsure about this, but if it worked for Nicholas maybe it could work for them… She just hoped that it would be enough. Softly, she gripped his paw in her own.

“ _ You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey.” _

Antony’s ears perked up at the tune, and his body slackened even if just slightly.

_ This is… I- I’ve heard this before.  _ His whimpering quieted for a moment as the vixen sang.

_ “You’ll never know dear how much I love you, please don’t take my sunshine away.” _

The song was another familiarity, something else that made him tear up for reasons he struggled to ascertain. He was so sure he had heard it before. He knew he had, and he demanded his mind to remember. His eyes clenched shut as he dug through his muddled brain.

A fuzzy grey and red image faded into his mind, and slowly forgotten thoughts began to dredge up, 

‘I just kind of think they’re cute, don’t you? The little bunny leading the fox around almost like how dad would sometimes…”

The image in his mind began to sharpen, another red fox with warm green eyes similar to this one with him now, and a very tiny grey bunny were in a forest _.  _ He remembered smiling at the way they held each other… like how his dad used to hold him when he was young… The image made him happy, and the memory of the less impressive rendition of this same song by the baby bunny had made him happy… Because he  _ knew, _ absolutely knew, that the bunny had found happiness in being held by the fox… and he so desperately wished he could feel the same.

He opened his teary eyes still not completely sure of what was happening,

_ I… who were they? When did-  _

An image of sharp, angry teeth flashed in his mind next, and he let out a scared yip. He squeezed his eyes shut again in fear, trying to ward off the scary image of his brother’s angry face.

A comforting paw rested on his forearm trying not to handle him roughly but also not letting go, 

_ “The other night dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamt I held you in my own arms.” _

` _ Ser, scratch underneath his muzzle, and whatever you do, don’t loosen up.` _

The rabbit followed the mental instructions perfectly, and although the little wolf’s fear and pain hadn’t left him, the reminder of the bunny that hugged him so genuinely kept him grounded. He wasn’t alone.

_ “And now that you’re here, my dreams are waking, and I’ll keep you from all harm.” _

“We promise that, little one,” The rabbit whispered to him, “You’re safe, sweetheart. Everything’s gonna be okay.” 

Ser sniffled against his neck, struggling to watch him suffer in the same ways she had seen so many others suffer. Much like Judy, she wouldn’t let him go through it by himself. She wouldn’t leave him behind.

‘ _ Everything’s going to be ok.’  _

He had heard that so much recently. The nice vixen had said it to him when she had grabbed his arm, this bunny had told him that when he awoke in this meadow, and very blurrily, he remembered someone else telling him those same words. 

A blurry grey image, dim and out of focus crept into his mind. He had been in a dark place, lonely, scared and hurt. He could almost hear the angry growling that had been above him as the memory came in. He hadn’t been able to stop crying while he had been forced to dig. And then-

_ “I’ll always love you, and make you happy… “ _

And then the image in his head cleared. A little grey rabbit, much more fearful than this one, had jumped up to him in his darkest moment.

His eyes became watery and he held the rabbit against his neck tighter with the one arm he had available. 

_She… helped me. J-just like this longears is doing._ _I- I was- scaring her and she- she still helped me anyways._

_ “...I’ll pick you up when you’ve fallen down.” _

He had fallen down, deep into his fear and deeper into the earthy tunnel to get away from-

“Marcus. Marcus w- was- he was g- gonna-” Antony’s stomach felt queasy, “hurt me- k-keep hurting me. He wasn’t gonna stop…” the little wolf whimpered as the memory of his brother came back in full.

After those tiny words, the wolf dug his muzzle pitifully in the doe’s shoulder. His tears couldn’t be stemmed as the memories flowed back in waves from the song. Some were terribly scary and painful, and some… good. A light in the dark tunnel he had been forced into by his brother.

_ “You turn the sky blue when it is raining…”  _

He had made friends in the darkest of places, friends that weren’t ashamed to hug him or hold him or anything even though they had barely known him. He was so hurt, and so alone and even though she was so scared she-

_ “...you’ll always keep the sunshine around.” _

“Sh- she saved me.” He muttered. 

All of the memories swept in like a tidal wave now. Everything. The pack staying behind, him and Marcus going on ahead alone, The singing bunny kit and the fox, Marcus’ anger, the ways he had hurt him so bad, how sticky his fur had gotten in his blood, and  _ her. _

He began to mutter in this rabbits shoulder, “She- she h- hugged me like y-you are, a-and the r-redtail started to help me, a- and they let me be- be their friend, a- and-” 

He felt choked by his tears, overwhelmed with everything that was coming back to him.

“And you’re not alone anymore, sweetheart.” The rabbit finished his thoughts before she lost control of her emotions and cried as she tried to comfort him, “You’ll never be alone. Even if you feel like you are… we will be there.”

The vixen at his side spoke up next as she traced his lessened injuries, “You’re loved, Antony. By so very many. By us, and by  _ them _ .”

Karma gently guided his other paw back to her rabbit companion. They had broken through both physically and emotionally. He now had a fighting chance.

She hugged his side tightly, “Serendipity and I won’t abandon you, love. And Nick and Judy are still with you even now.”

“N-nick a-and Judy?” He questioned, a tinge of hope inflecting in his voice.

“That’s their names, sweetheart.” Ser softly answered, “The one’s you’re remembering right now. They’re taking care of you while you're here with us.”

He didn’t understand what most of that meant, nor was a kit like him expected to. Instead he focused on what mattered to him, 

“Nick and Judy…”

His tail wagged ever so slightly at saying their names… His friends.

Both Karma and Serendipity smiled at the little sign of happiness. His sorrow was subsiding, and they had healed his body as much as they could.

He was just a kit, he wasn’t expected to understand the gravity of where he was, and they had no intention of telling him that he had practically died. It would’ve been complicated enough explaining how his quick bond with Judy had let them snatch him away to Serendipity’s jurisdiction. None of that really mattered anyways. The only thing that was important now was getting him ready to be conscious again.

That still left one problem however.

Neither Karma nor Serendipity knew how Nick and Judy could get this kit out with them. 

In all honesty, the situation looked completely hopeless for a happy ending for all of them, even from their standpoint. The collective wolven ancestors were as ruthless as the hateful wolf that carried their doctrines waiting right outside of the den. And just like Marcus, they wanted nothing more than to grind this empathetic, loving child into the dust for his kindhearted nature.

Both the fox and rabbit deities shuddered at that. Even if he truly was lost, they would never let the wolves have him. He was their claim now. 

But still… they had  _ hope _ that the little one could make it out alive and get to live a better life… and unlike all the wolves before him, that he could help bring the world a little closer together…  _ that he could make it a better place _ .

Even after all the two had witnessed in this heartless world, they wouldn’t give up on him or on hope. The gods had learned a long time ago that even in the direst of situations… even in the most unlikely of places and problems… there was hope…

Serendipity looked down at her fox companion Karma, understanding that they had reached the same thought. No matter how hopeless… life will find a way.

_ `Like sending a golden hearted fox to find three freezing bunnies buried in the snow.` _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's angle wasn't a part of the original idea of this story, but I couldn't help but write it. I feel that it added a bit more depth to the world and tied this story back to the first chapter.  
> Sidenote: The definition of Serendipity is an unplanned fortunate discovery. The name of chapter 1 is also Fortunate Discovery. (Although it used to be just discovery.) Not really important to know, but still :)


	27. Sins of the Father Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Julius faces an unsavory reality while coming to terms with his anxiety with the help of his friend. Nick and Judy struggle with what they are going to do. The wolf pack find what they are looking for.

**The Sins of the Father…**

Julius was rarely wrong. The few occurrences that could be exampled against him were distant in memory. Behaviors and characteristics long since corrected by the cruelty of nature and the implementation of the Ancestral doctrines. 

Indeed, being wrong was from a time when he had been a different wolf, a much softer leader much too open to emotion and trying new ideas. 

But that wolf was no more, surviving only as a packaged away memory that only surfaced to remind him of how close he had led his pack to destruction. It was of course now as he was closing in on his son’s location that his thoughts chose to remind him of his old self.

He internally scowled at himself as he ran, thoughts of his old behaviors filling his mind. In his estimation, that openness of emotion and ideals had been his greatest sin as a leader. A sin that was exposed by the brown wolf trailing behind him. 

Julius’ mind turned to Wolford. So many years ago, the whelp had been a weak and dying pup crawling to the safety of their pack. There had never been a clearer message given to him in his life; the story attached to Wolford’s arrival warned of just how dangerous Julius’ old ideas and sentiments really were. From then on, Julius had vowed to never let those emotions control him again, to never let his sentiments endanger the pack or his family. He had locked them away and let the doctrines rule his life like he should have from the beginning.

And for years since, he had done well. He couldn’t point out an occasion of sentiment that stained his perfect keeping of the Ancestors beliefs. 

Until today. 

The large, grey wolf slowed down to a walk before stopping altogether, the pack right behind him. They had been running for so long now, and he was sure they were close, but that was little comfort. His anxiousness came back in full force and dominated his body language. His hackles were raised, and his fists were clenched so tightly shut that his claws painfully pierced his paw pads.

He signaled for the others to remain quiet as he stood up to a bipedal position on his hindpaws and focused his hearing. Honestly, it was a vain hope to think that his son might howl again, and yet his attention never faltered and his eyes refused to leave the bleary, intense snowscape in front of him.

_Antony, my son, where are you?_ The intimidating leader fought off a whimper as his mind begged for a response from his son.

No, in Julius’ mind, he really wasn't wrong. There had been tough choices that he had hated himself for making of course, but all in all, he knew he wasn’t wrong. His eyes closed as his thoughts drifted to the numerous bitter deeds he’d accomplished for the greater good.

He was _right_ to neglect his childhood friendship with Brute. Allowing it to languish to little more than association had been disappointing but doctrinally required _._

He was _right_ to mold Wolford to conform to the pack. Changing his name and constantly reprimanding him was unpleasant, but the wolf’s future depended on it. 

He was _right_ in removing Sapper from the pack permanently. He could admit that it had been drastically harsh but the Omega had gone against his word so adamantly that it was only necessary… That had been a tougher decision for him, but at the time he was so obsessed with accomplishing his designs for the pack’s security and future that the weak wolf’s death had been both unavoidable and a relief for him knowing that threat had been snuffed out.

Being right wasn’t easy for the Alpha, and as his mind went over the catalog of deeds that he accomplished, his eyes clenched tightly at one of the more unsavory decisions he had made… 

_And I was right to Force Marcus to toughen up_.

An image of a happy grey pup embraced tightly in his arms flashed in his mind. That had been a time where a tight hug shared between a father and his eldest son brought them closer together, a time when smiling had been easier and allowable, and his love for his son something to be proud of.

_No,_ he physically shook the taunting image away.… _He will lead the pack one day_ . Julius reasoned, justifying to himself the steps he had taken training Marcus, _It was necessary that he adopt the doctrines like I did, or…_

His brow stiffened, _I would lose them…_

The pack and his sons. That was what was at stake. He clung to his understanding, the doctrines were the bitterest of medicines, but the consequences of rejecting its treatment were too steep to ignore. He had witnessed the disease that sentiment caused, and the Alpha quickly swallowed the terrible medicine the Ancestors prescribed, terrible side effects and all. 

True, Julius hated how his eldest son would challenge him now, hated how his eldest had begun to look down on his brother, and hated the furthering divide that grew between him and Marcus, but- 

_There’s no other choice._ His justifications eased his mind.

No other way. No hope to change their predestined roles. 

To do anything else would end in destruction, would snatch away his sons from him, and would make their clan’s fate follow in the steps of the Wolford’s. That was the consequence of sentiment.

_Ruthless. Necessary. Justified._ His mantra barked at him again. Indeed, his actions were just those things.

He clung to the doctrines. He forsook sentiment, emotion, and empathy in order to protect his sons and the pack from the harm they caused… 

Julius had zoned out, lost in his own headspace as he talked out his orthodoxy… Unaware that his eyes were desperately combing the limited visual landscape. And before he realized it, his tongue slipped.

“I… I shouldn’t have brought you here, Antony.” 

It was an admission of guilt whispered from his lips. A mistake, an oversight in both his orthodoxy and his orthopraxy: a _sin._ His heart ached painfully as he suppressed the need to cry out his son’s name in full desperation. 

And there laid the problem. The giant bear in the small cave that he was just now laying his eyes on… 

He stood wide-eyed at the realization. For all the doctrines were worth, for all the effort he had put in to scrupulously maintaining them, for all the ‘right’ things he did in their name… somewhere along the way Julius _had_ given in, even if just a little, to sentiment.

His stomach dropped. “I- I was wrong, son.” He whispered under his breath, his tiny words disappearing into the wind.

Antony… with all the little wolf’s brightness, his hope… his _heart,_ had begged his father to come along, and without using his reason and with his younger son’s pleading eyes… Julius gave in to his precious son’s request.. 

“He got to me.” Julius whispered to himself, swallowing his pride. 

The Alpha came to terms with what he had done. He had blindly admitted his son on this trip; his emotion had clouded his judgement. Julius knew the little pup wasn’t mentally or physically ready for a hunt, and he had allowed him to come because… 

_I didn’t… didn’t want to disappoint him._

He frowned at his sentimental admission. He didn’t want to disappoint his son… Not more than what he already does. 

Julius had always spoken in a calmer voice with the little wolf, and unlike with Marcus, he would soften his stance and offer approving smiles to the boy… He did so because Antony was indeed _special_ to him, even if he didn’t realize it.

But special or not, that was all Julius could offer. Anything more would be too dangerous… too emotional, too compromising to his own position and too close to what had eventually torn the Wolford pack to shreds. 

And Julius couldn’t allow that… 

But now as he came to terms with this oversight, it was becoming clear to him: Indulging his son’s request was equal to all of that, just one dangerous sentiment in substitution for another. 

He wanted to kick himself for that. Even with all his prided restraint, he had let his emotion win over reason… and deep down he had known it from the beginning. He was anxious every time he watched his son separate from him- both at the rabbit warren and as he left the second investigation scene with Marcus. His body had known how terrible bringing Antony was long before his mind had caught up to that reality. 

And now he was reaping what he had sown.

Julius turned his gaze to the whited out sky, and for a moment, his anxiety gave way to an underlying anger.

_Once… once!_

Once he had relaxed his grip from the wolven doctrines, and as a result his child was lost in a fierce storm, unresponsive to the pack, and likely near their treacherous targets.

He bore his teeth at the sky, 

_Are you pelts so petty you’d sacrifice him for my slip up?!_

He choked back a growl at the Ancestors.

This whole trip had been too strange, too coincidental and peculiar to have been the ways of nature. Yes, nature was unpredictable and deadly, but this whole experience felt as if the world was trying to collapse in on him. He had maneuvered it with grace, turned it to his advantage, but at every step a new disaster had fallen on his shoulders. 

Was this hunt the ancestors doing? 

Was it all to see if he would give in to the son whom he loved? 

Would he be faithful to their teachings? 

With each possibility his mood soured further. He wanted to voice his fury at the sky, to lash out all of his frustrations on the deified bastards who he slowly began to blame for this peculiar and treacherous predicament.

  
  


“One mistake.” He mumbled under his breath again.

This had been an isolated incident, a slip up!... He was faithful to the doctrines! 

It wasn’t as if Julius had allowed a culture of sentiment to grow within him… 

It wasn’t as if he had been lenient on Antony, or had treated him as any different from the pack. 

It's not as if the pup is-

_Special… to me…_

The words echoed in Julius’ psyche. 

He rubbed his head with a paw trying to force the intrusive thought away. A futile effort, once the thought had entered his mind it became a fixture, and as if the Ancestors were rubbing his nose in the discovery of another sin, the thought echoed and grew into an image of a white pup wagging its tail as it played in the much larger footsteps of his father.

_Special._ His brain instinctually asserted at the thought of his younger son.

He forced a wisp of a smile away, but the damage had been done.

His paw grabbed his throat, choking any chance of an involuntary whine. He wouldn’t allow that, not in front of the others, not even alone. But even so, his feelings were exposed to him in a new, desperate light. 

The Alpha was worried, fearful, and struggling to contain his emotion properly. The uncertainty for his younger son, and the clarity of his hypocrisy had strewn the contents of his packed away baggage and emotions all across his mind.

So clearly he had done wrong,so clearly he played the blind hypocrite, and now his emotions were laid bare for him to see in their entirety.

His eyes turned back to the clouded, obscure vicinity as it all set in. His stomach dropped at the implications,

_This… this is my fault._

Julius exhaled deeply. He couldn’t say for sure if the Ancestors were involved or not, but one thing was clear: he held a level of personal responsibility for whatever would happen.

He smoothed his fur with his paws. He had to get ahold of himself if he was going to fix this! He had to shut down this sentiment within him NOW! He had to be the Alpha that the pack needed if he was going to-

His attention was ripped from him as he felt a weighty paw rest on his shoulder.

“Old friend, we’ll find them.”

It wouldn’t have been unusual for Julius to lash out. In fact, Julius wanted to lash out, wanted to assert dominance and get a hold of himself… and yet for the first time in years he couldn’t. 

Those simple words uttered out by the Beta had completely floored him, and the anger in his frame deflated.

The neutral tone in Brute’s voice was gone, replaced with a tone much older and familiar, even… warmer. A tone in Brute’s voice he hadn’t heard in a long time, even before he began to follow the doctrines.

The tone beckoned the Alpha back to an age of two friends in competition, to two pups running back and forth to the river just to see who was faster… to two friends who would bicker and compete but would never turn their backs on one other… 

_No matter what…_ Julius remembered. 

An image of two young pups, one black and the other grey, stood quietly in front of each other. Both cradled a slightly bloody paw, and both smiled at their brotherly friendship they made from smearing those paws together. 

**-0-0-**

The black furred pup spoke up, “My friend, I’ll follow you anywhere. You know that, right?”

A wagging grey tail was the first response, followed by a shy, “R-really, Brute?”

“No matter what! We’re friends!” The little pup said enthusiastically.

He held up his blood smeared paw with a big smile, “We promised, no matter-!”

**-0-0-**

_No matter what._

It had been an old covenant made between two friends as thick as thieving weasels. Really only something that two pups dumb enough to slice their own paws open and shake would do. 

But at the time it had meant everything. Maybe even more.

Out of the whole pack, only Julius and Brute knew what two pups long ago had promised each other… and only now was that _broken_ covenant recalled by the Alpha. It was another jolting emotional memory being ripped from his carefully packaged baggage that he’d pushed far away from himself.

But with the warm, genuine reassurance that was offered by his old friend’s words, it couldn’t be shaken away.

Julius’ head ached. His friend’s words were both a drink of water in the driest of deserts, and simultaneously a wound ripped open. A painful and relieving mixture that left his mind jumbled and warring against itself. 

His mantra shouted furiously over the fog in his brain, _A leader doesn’t need reassurance, you fool!… A leader doesn’t rely on friends! Shove him away, take charge!_

A venomous voice urged him internally, _BE THE ALPHA, YOU PELT! There won’t be a second chance!_

“Old friend,” Brute reiterated, words solemn but voice warm, “We’ll follow your lead. We’ll find them.”

The mantra and voice silenced as the Alpha;s head spinned from Brute’s affirmation.

_Old friend…_ Julius mentally repeated the Beta’s common term of endearment for him.

The Alpha had sacrificed the closeness between him and Brute long ago. _Doctrinally unsound_ , _wrong!_ the mantra tried again… 

And yet, right now, despite the doctrines and mantras chanting their relentless orders in his head…. 

He couldn’t push Brute’s paw away.

‘My friend, I’ll follow you…’ The old promise echoed, blotting out the mantra. ‘Old friend, we’ll follow your lead…’ He closed his eyes at Brute’s words, all so similar to the old promise… 

And then it hit him.

_He never stopped calling me that._

Julius himself had stopped with terms of endearment for all that were close to him, even his sons… but Brute hadn’t stopped calling him _friend._ True, the Beta’s tone had changed as the years had drug by, becoming neutral, careful, and at times… even wistful, as if Brute had been longing for a friend that had passed long ago, or even as if he was talking to another wolf altogether… 

But right now, now it seemed genuine, _heartfelt_ and… _reaching…_

It was as if his friend was throwing him a lifeline, and trying to pull him out of a rough sea he hadn’t even realized he was treading in.

In a way, it alarmed the Alpha. He wasn’t the one who needed to be pulled from the brink, was he? Was it not Brute who was displaying sentiment? Was it not Brute who was breaking protocol?

Julius’ eyes clenched shut, cringing at the sentiment the Beta so openly displayed. He had to correct his friend’s behavior just as he needed to correct his younger son’s, he needed to pull Brute back in to safety! It was the right thing to do, the path the Ancestors screamed at his soul and conscience to follow or face the consequences of.

And yet… 

He found himself as frozen as the snow falling all around them.

_No matter what…_ The promise echoed once more.

_“You never abandoned me, had you, friend?”_

It was a whisper under his breath, words only meant to be perceptible by the wolf closest to him. One that Julius was too anxious to lift his head to see his friend’s response for.

Brute’s ears perked up. Had the cutting wind played a cruel trick on him? Had the falling snow dampened his hearing? Had his friend just asked that? 

Had he just called Brute… 

_Friend_ … 

The Beta’s ears pinned down in guilt…

This very question was one that he was unprepared for, but one that he understood the depth of immediately. 

He longed for this day, longed for his friend to ask something like this… and now… 

He was unraveled by it. 

Not because of the suddenness of the question, not because of his desire to see his friend remember the old bond that they shared… but because Brute had broken the covenant just as much as Julius had, even if the Alpha didn’t realize that.

True, a part of Brute had never given up hope, and that part was still reaching out to his old friend, but another part held no illusions on what his old friend had turned into. It knew how much Julius had changed and what sins his friend had committed against the pack in the name of what was ‘right.’ 

...And deep down the Beta knew that would have to be rectified… 

But there was also no mistake that his old friend wasn’t evil. 

The same sickness that Julius had, had been twisting the Beta in the same way. If not for Sapper’s death, how long would he have carried on with everything like it had been normal? Brute knew from personal experience that underneath the calloused cruelty his old friend resided. And with the deep cut of his missing sons, that cruelty was observably being torn away like a nasty parasite. 

Conflicted, Brute wasn’t sure how to answer his friend's question. He took a breath and squeezed his friend's shoulder comfortingly, “I’ll always be your friend Julius. No matter what happens that I can promise.”

That was true, in Brute’s heart Julius would be his friend, even if he had to go against him.

The Beta’s eyes widened. There was that look in the Alpha again, the same one he had noticed on the whole trip here. 

His friend was vulnerable again. 

_Is… is it really weakness?_ Brute asked himself once again.

He knew in a way it was a weakness. By trying to appeal to the wolf he used to know, he was forcing the Alpha to waver from the traditions. If Julius did, that was grounds for the Beta to challenge his authority, and if Brute was more underhanded, he indeed could twist this as a ploy to grab power. 

So, when it came to holding onto absolute control, it was very much a weakness.

But in every other way, it wasn’t.

Did it not take bravery to call Wolford by his real name? Was not a bridge of trust built when he didn’t reprimand Wolford for showing emotion before the hunt? And was courage and strength not involved when he risked reprimand for putting his paw on Julius’ shoulder?

Brute had come to a conclusion. 

_To allow oneself to be vulnerable for the sake of another decidedly isn’t a weakness._

For the Beta, so much this past week called into question the old ways, and in almost every sense they were found lacking and antiquated. 

His mind surged forth, exploring the new truth he had grasped.

_Had it been a weakness to think Sapper deserved better? Had it been a weakness to let Wolford mourn? Is it a weakness for my friend to worry for his son?_

Brute shook his head. 

_No. Decidedly, this isn’t weakness. Caring about the pack isn’t weakness, our friendship isn’t weakness, and openly caring about your family isn’t weakness either._

He watched his friend intently, waiting for a response. He could see the Alpha’s mind warring, most likely in the same way he had for the past week but all crammed together at once. Brute glanced at his mate waiting patiently at his side, watching this play out. He imagined making their close tie little more than professional like Julius had done with his family. The black wolf internally shuddered.

_Is it so much to ask_ for _more than what we have, old friend? Do the traditions of our Fathers have to always be right?_

The Beta was still convinced that tradition had some place… but as he felt his friend's struggle to suppress his emotions and as his ears perked at a tiny whisper of his friend muttering his son’s name… 

The more that place looked to be the ash heap.

_Surely, you can see how badly these antiquated traditions have hurt us, friend? At how much they twist us out of shape?_

But Brute knew how strongly the winds of doctrine could pull. And as he felt Julius trying to gather his emotions again, the Beta almost lost hope. His friend was tensing, and he might-

Brute’s attention turned when he heard the voice of his mate speak up from behind them, “Julius, sir, we can find them. They can’t be far. There’s _hope_ sir!”

Brute smiled slightly at her effort. His mate spoke with confidence and surety to the Alpha. _Hope._ The qualities that Brute admired her for, and the quality that kept him from becoming too cynical and cruel in the years of cold relations in the pack. 

He looked at his friend to see his eyes close tightly and a pained scowl stretch across his face.

_Bitter medicine. The truth is all bitter medicine my friend, but it will make you well. please drink it._ Brute pleaded.

“Boss,” Brute’s ears perked as Wolford unexpectedly spoke up next, “We- we can get to them, just tell us what you want sir, and we’ll follow your lead! He- they need us!” The emotion in the request for direction wasn’t hidden well, the brown wolf wanted to reach Antony almost as much as Julius himself did.

Brute smiled. For the first time in years the group was united in not just action… but thought. 

Himself, Casius, and Wolford, without any prompting or obligation had given the Alpha an affirmation. All had been genuine, all for reasons not to do with the doctrines, or the Ancestors or tradition, but from care and consideration. From… empathy.

Brute looked to his friend again, waiting to see what the Alpha would do.

_Fate is in your paws now, my friend._

Julius was conflicted. His mantra hadn’t stopped shouting at him to obey what he had learned from the Ancestors: _Lead by fear! Show them your strength! Be ruthless and crush their sentiment!_

But something bigger was happening, an epiphany revealed to him from the very members he was leading.

_They… want to help…_

He hadn’t forced submission, he hadn’t issued a challenge, or bared his teeth. And yet… they were willing to follow him even when there was a clear reason for the Beta to remove him. He was showing weakness and vulnerability, sentiment and anxiety, and they hadn’t cast him out or divided beneath him. 

Instead they rallied behind him… 

_For Antony…_

For his son.

Brute’s grip squeezed a bit tighter on Julius’ shoulder, and for the first time Julius tentatively put his paw over it. 

No, not to push it away, or reprimand his friend, but… well he didn’t know why exactly, this was new to him and his footing was unsure. Perhaps to feel closer, perhaps to confirm that what his friend had said was real, or perhaps it was his way of grabbing the lifeline that Brute had thrown him. 

Whatever the reason his paw clutched his friend’s.

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Neither moved, neither risked this interaction falling apart. They simply stood there, both in disbelief at what the other was doing. 

_Friends._

“We should stay in each other's sights but fan out as far as we can.” Julius spoke suddenly and firmly, “We’ll cover more ground and have less risk of missing them.”

Brute gave a smile, his friend spoke with the same tough voice he normally had, but without an air of force behind it. He spoke almost as… equals.

“Old friend, we will follow your lead.” Brute said warmly.

Wolford and Casius both responded eagerly, “Yes sir.”

And with that Julius positioned his pack in a fanned out line. Wolford on the far left, Casius on the far right, and him and Brute filling the center spaces. Each wolf could only see who was nearest to them, but with this tactic they could cover much more than closely tailing the Alpha and without the danger of separating entirely.

Julius looked left at Wolford, and then looked to his right at his old friend. Both wolves were looking to him, waiting patiently for his word. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 

The Alpha’s heart had never settled, his anxiety had never left, but his pack hadn’t turned on him, Brute hadn’t challenged, and the others sought to help. 

They… didn’t fall apart. There wasn’t division… And now he was left wondering…

_Have… Have I been wrong?_

His mantra told him he hadn’t been wrong, but what he was seeing told him otherwise. 

His eyes were glued to the Beta, seeing Brute smiling genuinely. A smile that Brute didn’t think was visible through the poor weather and one that Julius was hardly able to see through the dense snowfall. But it had been there.

The Alpha’s heart fell again. 

_“No matter what?”_ Julius quietly reiterated the forgotten covenant. 

He frowned. To his knowledge, Brute held to that idea while he had abandoned it. And as he readied to move them through the snow he felt a new weight on his shoulders. 

The weight of abandoning his friendship… Despite what the doctrines had told him, he now knew that he had been wrong in another way. A way that completely contradicted what the doctrines taught him.

He heard a slight muttering to his left. His eyes latched on to the brown wolf. Wolford looked to be talking to himself, or perhaps praying… it was unclear, but Julius could tell he was distressed about something,perhaps many things.

_What-_ The Alpha took a deep breath, _What else have I been wrong about?_

He didn’t want to know, but as he took his first step forward into the vicinity he couldn’t shake the feeling that what he wanted wasn’t relevant. This hunt was stripping everything bare, and so far even the doctrines hadn’t been able to stand firm. 

The Alpha gulped, imagining that soon enough he would have his answers.

And with that terrifying reality in the forefront of his mind, he signaled to the others to walk forward as he steeled himself to lead the search for his son. 

**…Are Carried on from Generation to Generation…**

It had remained eerily quiet for quite some time now, not that Judy or Nick were complaining. Judy had asked the gods to help and if this break in the action was their way of doing so, she would gladly take it. 

“And there,” Nick spoke quietly as he tied the last bit of the shredded tunic to the wolf pup's hind paw. “I- I think that’s his last cut, Carrots.”

Judy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as she stared at the fox on the other side of the large kit. He had crawled along the pup’s side through the narrow of the tunnel and had discovered another open wound on the pad of his foot, one that she suspected had spurred the poor kit into digging further even though she had stopped him already.

Confirming the poor kit had been wounded in another way hurt the rabbit… and figuring out that the wound was likely from the spear she’d thrown at the bad wolf earlier didn’t help her conscience at all. 

But at least now things were going a bit better. They had managed to stop the bleeding from both his arm and his (apparently two) injured paws. It still sickened her that the other wolf was doing this to such a sweet kit, and judging by the angry scowl that Nick wore when she had explained her conclusions to him, he didn’t take it well either. 

What could bring a mammal to do this to a kit of their own kind? 

She shook her head and turned her attention to the unconscious pup again. She hadn’t moved far from his front paws and face, not willing herself to leave him in case he woke up again. The thought of him waking up in pain and confusion all alone frightened her as much as it would have frightened him. That just wasn’t an option for the rabbit.

She crawled back up next to his face. Judy’s eyes had adjusted well by now, and she could see the outline of some of his features. Her chest tightened as she looked at him. His rounded muzzle had settled in the freshly dug dirt as he laid on his stomach, and his large ears dwarfed the rest of his head. She didn’t know much about canines, but just looking she could see now that he clearly was a kit. It made her heart hurt, but not as much as another fact that niggled its way into her mind. He was so very still… so unmoving, so much like another wolf that popped into her mind… One that she had found at her family’s warren… 

The thought of that wolf before would incite anger, hatred and agony, but now… now it incited fear and worried panic at the thought that this poor child might be-

She placed her ear against the side of his neck and listened intently, trying desperately to banish her frightening speculation. 

Immediately, her anxiety lessened as she felt him let out a stronger breath than he had when he was conscious and holding her. 

He was… alive, and getting better. 

Her much smaller frame quickly wrapped around the side of the wolf’s face, relieved at the little sign of life. Caught in the moment, she couldn’t help but lean down to place a loving kiss between his ears and nuzzle the kit. 

He’s alive, he’s improving, and she didn’t let him down like she had with her family. 

And the longer she held onto him like this, the more she felt at ease. His breathing was improving and Nick had been faithfully bandaging him up while humming that familiar song that she was growing to love, a combination of comfort for the doe. 

Even in this terrible situation things were beginning to feel right, even if only for a moment.

Her ears twitched as she heard her fox squeezing in between the narrow gap between the wolf and the tunnel, mildly grunting as he forced his body through the tight space. Judy smiled as her eyes followed the outline of his frame squeezing past the kit’s shoulder blade and over his injured arm, careful with his footing as to not to hurt the wolf’s arm further.

Her eyes were glossy as she noticed, even with a wolf, he was still good with kits.

And when his eyes met her glossy violets in the dark of the tunnel, she could make out the glimmer of warmth he carried. She sighed in relief at the sight. A relief that grew as the fox sat himself snug between the wolf’s bad arm and her. She lifted the kit’s muzzle to lay it on her lap, she wouldn’t allow this moment to slip by. She smiled as the pup’s nose huffed lightly against her leg.

Her attention turned to the fox as she caught the motion of his arm carefully touching a red cloth he had used to fasten the makeshift bandage on the kit’s forearm. Nick’s paw settled there, gently petting the wolf’s arm over the little bandana. 

It was a heartening thing for the rabbit to see. However, her attention was diverted again as the fox placed his other paw on her laid back ears to scritch them gently. She relaxed into his touch, fully aware he was doing everything he could to offer her emotional support. 

And for that one moment, they had peace again.

And then she heard her fox sigh sadly. His one paw never left the wolf’s arm, and the other never left his rabbit’s ears, it was clear he was becoming just as involved with this poor kit as she already was… 

And perhaps that was what made his next words so stinging to her. 

“Carrots… What are we gonna do?”

That was the question, and it was the same one she had wrestled with since she discovered what this wolf was going through. She frowned at not having an idea on how to answer it. 

But she did have hope, hope she wasn’t ready to abandon. 

She met his eyes again, “We- we can’t leave him, Nick.”

Her voice was small and pleading, as if she was speaking with a deity who had the power to change what could happen, could change all of their fates in an instant. 

But he wasn’t one. He had hope too, but… 

“What-” He was wrestling with what he was about to say, a fact that put the doe on edge as she watched him try to collect himself, “What do we do if we have to anyways, Judy?” 

There wasn’t malice in his question, and by his tone she could tell he hated voicing the terrible scenario as much as she hated hearing it. The pain in his voice was as clear as when she had stabbed him when they met. Even so, she felt as if he kicked her in the gut. Hard. 

She tried to collect her breath and respond to the hard-hitting question, but before she could the wolf’s good arm unconsciously slid up to snuggle her closer to his neck and head. The pup squeezed her tightly as if holding on to her for support.

The sudden grab of the wolf, coupled with the fox’s point of not being able to bring him was too much for her. She buried her face in the white fur of the poor kit.

She cried. Sobbing and quietly muttering a prayer against the kit. Her fox ran his free paw over her ears, trying his best to comfort her. 

This situation wasn’t fair to the kit. 

There wasn’t a possible way to get the kit out, not with his injuries, even if they were improving and even if there was some way they could waltz him out the front door. They had hope to get him out, but how? Neither knew, and if they both died in the process of trying to save him, the kits in the den would be doomed too. That wouldn’t be fair to any of them. 

_Karma, please._

Miserably, Nick tried to comfort his bunny, “Carrots… I’m sor-”

Nick’s apology was cut off as Judy’s ears flipped upright and her body tensed. He was about to question her sudden jolt before his own ears turned towards the entrance of the tunnel. His fur puffed up at the quiet growling his ears picked up on and the-

_Voices_? 

He focused his hearing, although it wasn’t necessary as a firm voice easily cut through the sounds of the storm.

“Marcus.”

A deep growl from the wolf that had been terrorizing them was the answer to the new voice, followed by a gruff, 

“Father.”

“Where is _he_ , Marcus.” 

Silence was the answer to that. No response came back from the terrorizer as Nick and Judy listened to the unexpected conversation in rapt attention. They turned to face each other, almost communicating without a word,

_Does he mean?..._

However, a new problem was arising that soon snagged their attention from each other, Nick and Judy looked to the wolf kit as they both felt his head move with a little shake. He was beginning to stir as the new voice above began to talk more firmly.

“NO GAMES MARCUS! Where. Is. _Antony_.”

**…And Passed Onto Their Children.**

Marcus hadn’t expected his father to catch up so quickly. Not at all. To add to his surprise, the elder son had been watching a silhouette of a wolf off to his far left that had initially made the elder son snicker. He had thought the pack had miscalculated, had gone a little too fast and loose and were walking right past him. 

He had been wrong, or at least partially wrong as he heard his name from that ever familiar, stern voice of his father right before him.

“Marcus.”

Holding back his furious growl was impossible. Marcus wasn’t an idiot, but his father had just made him feel that way. 

He cut his growl short. It didn't matter, Marcus would have the last laugh. And in front of an audience too, as his eyes flickered to the wolves trickling in from both sides. 

“Father.” His voice was cold, calculating, and giving none of the answers he knew the Alpha wanted. 

“Where is _he,_ Marcus _.”_

The elder son narrowed his eyes. He wasn't a sentimental wolf, far from it. But something about his father not asking about the inflamed, bloody wound in his shoulder really pissed him off. He had been stabbed, and that didn’t seem to matter to the pack leader at all, Hell, even Brute seemed to acknowledge it with his eyes, but his father didn’t even seem to notice it. It was as if he was invisible to his father. He had worked hard, he had trained hard, had become the best hunter, and he was an afterthought.

_Not special._ Marcus thought. _He’s not special, da- father!_

Marcus’ face remained stony, even with the anger boiling under the surface. He said nothing, although his stance became very defensive. His eyes locked with the Alpha’s as his father mimicked the stance. But this time it felt different… Something about his father was off and Marcus already knew just what it was and just how to get to the Alpha. And after a tense moment, Marcus couldn’t help but smirk at the way the older wolf’s fur was puffing in anxiety. 

_They will see father… and you will see…_

His smirk turned into a familiar wicked smile to the slightly larger grey wolf, one that he had learned from the old canine himself, one from many years of under the Alpha’s ‘care.’ 

_Oh, you will see what I’ve done!… NO, WHAT YOU’VE DONE…_

Julius never feared his son. Not once. He was indeed _his_ son. Even if he often had to treat him harder than any of the others, bottom line he was his child, and fearing him had never crossed the Alpha’s mind. 

But that damned grin… that damned grin that he was so used to wearing himself when he made plans to safeguard the pack’s future and ensure his own family’s leadership… _that_ sent a shiver down his spine. And he immediately knew he wasn’t the only one. The atmosphere of the wolves behind him had changed too, something terrible had happened. 

_What have you done, my son?_

His son’s smile persisted, and an unknown weight began to pull down on Julius’ shoulders. 

He put on a firm stance and steeled himself, trying in vain to hide his worry. But there wasn’t a way he could maintain his cool. He growled out an angry outburst,

“NO GAMES MARCUS! Where. Is. _Antony_.” 

His son’s wicked grin grew wider.

His hackles raised as a realization of what was staring back at him… 

A large, grey wolf with hard eyes and a wicked smile. He was looking at-

“I’ve only done what you would do, father! You will be proud,” Marcus’ tone took a clear air of falsity and sarcasm, “I am being the strong leader you’ve been, I followed in _your_ footsteps, and wanted to see if he was stronger than a worthless longears!”

Himself. He was staring at himself.

The weight on his shoulders grew heavier with every word from his elder son, and a familiar, taunting question presented itself…

_‘What else had I been wrong about?…’_

He reeled at his son’s foreboding words, not grasping the depth of their meaning yet, but fully understanding the malice behind them. A variety of emotions took over his body, anger, sorrow, confusion. But stronger than anything the Alpha felt regret.

_What- what have I done._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took some time to write, but I think I am satisfied with it :)  
> And so here we are, I didn't expect this to take so long to reach, but I think it was all for the best. I see about 5 chapters or so including epilogue left. It may slightly extend, but that number is probably accurate.
> 
> Hope everyone is having a good day :)


	28. Sins of the Father Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a cost to both your beliefs and your mistakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains intense violence, I kept it T, but be warned.
> 
> This chapter is actually two chapters combined into one, hence the extended amount of time it took to write. I felt it was best to keep these scenes together. I anticipate three more chapters (+epilogue) after this. Hope everyone is having a good day :)

**The Sins of the Father Part II**

It was well known that Brute was perceptive, more so than any of his pack members with the exception of Julius. For so long, his job in the pack consisted of keeping those under him in place, and communicating the needs of the pack with the Alpha. So, when the Beta was focused, he would pay special attention to the details surrounding him,  _ especially _ when it came to studying the other members of the pack. And right now, as he filed in behind the Alpha, with his mate hovering closely on his right and Wolford just to his left Brute was in the perfect position to do what he does best: analyze the situation. 

He had unfortunately missed the beginnings of the conversation with the Alpha and his son, however noticing the taut, overly strained atmosphere between Julius and Marcus was second nature. The Beta absorbed the unfolding scene; piecing together that Julius and Marcus were already in some sort of standoff before the rest of them were able to respond… Whatever details Julius had picked up on his elder son had led the Alpha to immediately stance himself in a challenge.

Brute cycled his attention from the Alpha to his son. The wound on Marcus’ arm was the first thing to catch his eyes, and a part of him wanted to assist his packmate. He caught his footing before he did, it wasn’t his place to jump into this yet and he knew it. Julius, as Marcus’ father and their leader, needed to handle this, whatever this was. He took a breath, he would let Julius do his job and he would resign himself to piecing together what happened so he could make the best decisions to assist the Alpha.

The Beta’s eyes flicked to Marcus’ paws and widened. He paused as he noted the bloody stick…  _ No, spear-  _ in the grey wolf’s grip. He looked back at the shoulder and found his first clue as to what had happened.

_ Some kind of altercation _ .

Clearly.

And judging by the wound on his shoulder and the pointed stick gripped in the grey wolf’s paw, it was an altercation with a much smaller mammal. Likely a-

_ Longears. He’s been fighting a longears.  _

Two black ears perked up in alarm,  _ Wait, was it the desecrator? Is that why Marcus hadn’t answered our calls?  _ Brute paused as he remembered the first few howls that were cut short.

_ But wait, Antony had been calling to us… Where’s- _

His ears perked at the angry tone of the Alpha, “ _ Where is he, Marcus?” _ Brute could tell the Alpha’s voice was already ladened with spent frustration and desperation.

Nonetheless, the obvious question presented by the Alpha had been the same question brewing in Brute’s mind:

_ Indeed, where is young Antony? He shouldn’t have stopped calling if Marcus was fighting the longears. Marcus is more than capable of providing cover during an assault. _

The question Brute had wasn’t far from being answered. Indeed the answers were found as Brute looked into the hateful gaze in Marcus’ eyes. That, accompanied by the vindictive grin building on the grey wolf’s face were a clear cause of concern to the Beta. The look alone spoke of baleful news, and shortly after that fear was confirmed.

“I am being the strong leader you’ve been, I followed in your footsteps, and wanted to see if he was stronger than a worthless longears!”

That had been a kick in the head, even for Brute who had more or less caught the scent of some sort of impropriety. And judging by the sharp gasp from his mate on his right, and the choked up breath from Wolford to his left, Marcus’ words weren’t lost on them either; they clearly understood, although probably not to the fullest extent, that Marcus was causing some sort of trouble for the young charge that had went with them on this hunt. 

That statement had been clearly malevolent and hostile in intention. And in conjunction with the wound in Marcus’ shoulder and the spear in his paw, there was indeed a longears, one that had been skilled enough to injure Marcus.

‘I wanted to see if he was stronger than a longears…’

_ It's- It’s not an empty threat. _

As Brute considered the statement he concluded that there was only one thing Marcus could’ve meant… 

_ He made him fight. He- he- _

He forced an untrained child to fight against an unknown enemy who had managed to wound even Marcus, a skilled hunter… And now he was keeping the poor child’s location from them… from the pack and from his own father.

“Ancestors, what have you done?…” The Beta asked in shock. 

Brute’s words were heard by each wolf present, but left unanswered by all except the wind, a new peal of thunder, and a widening grin from the dog that stood across from them. It was clear that Marcus was just dying to answer that question.

However, before the wolf in question could, Brute’s attention turned to his left at a loud shout,

“What are you saying, Marcus?!” Wolford shouted angrily, his voice clearly demanding an explanation for the cryptic (at least for him) statement that had left the Beta open-mouthed and the Alpha standing quietly with tightly gripped paws forced to his sides. 

Wolford looked to Julius, “Boss! What’s he saying!?” 

The brown wolf was yet to fully grasp the situation, but what he did understand was that Marcus was being a real prick and that he was keeping them from seeing Antony. “We’ve just trekked through this whole damn forest through this whole damn snowstorm, and I’ve just about had it with you!” 

The tawny brown wolf, stepped a foot closer, but flinched at a showing of teeth by the wayward son… There were some things Wolford still struggled to stand up against, least of all was not Marcus.

Brute thought he saw an eye roll from Marcus through the poor visibility. The younger grey wolf was paying the inferior no heed. It was as if Demas (and perhaps the rest of them too) were of no importance to Marcus right now… 

_ Or more likely- _ Brute considered, He watched Marcus’ eyes fix to Julius almost reveling in the Alpha’s lack of action-  _ This is personal…  _

Brute’s hunch appeared to be justified as his ear flicked to Marcus’ voice again,

“I have to say father,” Every pair of eyes snapped to that terrifyingly satisfied grin on the grey wolf’s muzzle, “Retrieving Sapper’s carcass was a waste. From now on, we’re going to leave disgraceful, WORTHLESS pelts like that to rot in the ground like they deserve.” 

Another loud peal of thunder followed the words of the son, close enough to vibrate the trees around them and shake their feet. It wasn’t clear whether the gods just condemned the grey wolf, or if the Ancestors were approving Marcus’ cruel point. That was impossible to tell (although at this point, Brute wouldn’t be surprised if the Ancestors desired this terrible vitriol Marcus was spewing).

However, what was easy to gauge were the reactions from each wolf.

Brute felt his mate immediately cling to his arm, quickly burying her face against his side. Marcus’ statement of ‘testing’ Antony was unclear, but that statement was anything but. Casey’s heart had already seen enough injustice and she sought stability and leadership from him. It was clear now that she had finally caught on to what he was saying. Brute’s heart throbbed at that.

Wolford’s reaction was the opposite, and quickly demanded all attention.

“YOU SON OF A BITCH! DON’T YOU TALK ABOUT MY FRIEND THAT WAY, OR I’LL MAKE YOU PAY! NOW WHERE’S ANTONY!” 

Wolford had one paw pointed accusingly at the grey wolf across from them… The tawny brown wolf was fed up with Marcus’ behavior. Unfortunately, he still failed at grasping the depth of what Marcus was hinting at. In honesty, he was not yet ready to confront those implications. Entertaining the thought of another dead friend in his life wasn’t an option for Demas.

And he was about to make that clear,

“BOSS! Tell him to-” 

Or at least he would have… If not for the choked whine that cut his speech off and left him mouth agape. 

The distressed, pitiful noise came from the wolf leading the pack. A shrill, pained sound that was just as unexpected as it was uncharacteristic from the hardened, scarred wolf. Immediately every member went silent, too dismayed by the sudden sign of sorrow. It was emotion at a level unseen from the Alpha since the establishment of the doctrines.

The Beta’s eyes, not to mention the rest of the pack's, focused on the back of the wolf standing in front of him. Julius… his friend’s grey fur seemed to have turned a shade paler. It was as if the blood in him had drained away, leaving little more than a stiff effigy of the leader in the snow. 

Julius had grasped on to the scene just as well as Brute. The implication of his son’s words were too much. 

“Marcus… you-” The Alpha’s voice was quiet, shaky, and drenched with regret as he muddled through his mind trying to cope with the possibility of what Marcus had implied, “My son, you wouldn’t do that, you-”

“Your son?!” Marcus scoffed, “Not going to call me whelp this time, father?” His voice was harsh, and took a certain enjoyment in throwing the putdown back in the face of the old wolf. 

The young canine’s tone turned venomous and facetious, “I wouldn’t what? Wouldn’t lead the same way you had? Wouldn’t give a lower wolf a job that he should be able to handle if he  _ wasn’t _ worthless?” 

With disdain, Marcus spat out the words he always heard Julius say, “Or is it that I wouldn’t do what’s best for the pack, father!?” 

Marcus was breathing heavy by the end of his tirade and stared down his father waiting for a response… 

The verbal sparring didn’t come. Instead his ears barely picked up his father quietly parroting his last question.

“Best for the pack?...” The Alpha said, a frown tugging on his lips.

The leader heard those words so many times from his own muzzle… 

_ When I took up the doctrines…  _

_ When I abandoned my friendship with Brute…  _

_ When I pushed Marcus away and made him toughen up…  _

_ When I did the same with Wolford…  _

And when- 

“When I killed Sapper.” Julius whispered to himself.

His fur tensed and his eyes squeezed shut. That obscure sense of being wrong finally sharpened into clarity. The curtains were being drawn back, and right in front of him was the mirror image of who he had let himself become… The consequence of his own foolish actions. 

“All for the good of the pack.” He mumbled quietly to himself.

His son had indeed followed in his footsteps. Every step of ruthless cruelty Julius had taken, so too had Marcus. Every whisper of his mantra that nagged at him had been imprinted onto his son too. 

**_It was clear what had caused this, what connected everything that he so recently found he had been wrong about._ **

_ The doctrines. They’ve caused this, and I- I-  _

Julius eyes watched the building fury of his son waiting on his response, 

_ I let them have him. _

He had let the doctrines control and change him, conformed him into what they wanted him to be… and in turn they did exactly the same to his son… He had sold everything he had for a sense of safety that wasn’t real, an exchange of a previously good life for a lie.

He felt a piercing pain settling in his head, it was probably from his claws digging into his scalp, apparently he had put his paws to the sides of his head. 

He was panicking.

The Alpha growled, not at his wayward child (although Marcus certainly thought so), but at himself, at his failure to protect his sons- either of them.

_ I should’ve seen this coming. I should've!- _

Julius tensed at the paw that settled on his shoulder. 

“Old friend, we’re still with you. We’re at your back.” Brute, for the second time that day, threw him a lifeline.

A tear fell from Julius’ muzzle. And then another, and another as he met eyes with his angry, vindictive son staring him down with growing disdain.

_ I… I did see this coming. _

In hindsight Julius had always seen it.

There had always been a part of him that hated the effects the doctrines had on his life. He had told himself it was because they were a bitter medicine that he had to swallow; a sacrifice of a little part of himself. Things like his friendship with Brute and his relationship with his Marcus… It was just the cost of protecting the pack and his family. 

But as he felt the supportive paw of his friend on his shoulder, and held the hateful gaze of his son so twisted by the doctrines… his stomach turned. And the realization that the dose of bitter medicine that he had drank so obediently had been nothing more than hemlock.

He had been trying to protect his family no matter the cost… but that cost  _ was _ his family itself. And now- now everything he worked for was crumbling before his eyes. He might lose-

_ Them. I might lose them. _

His eldest son had been the very reason he embraced the doctrines. And although Julius’ relationship with Marcus had grown contentious and bitter since then, he couldn’t lose him. His chest tightened, and his heart beat rapidly. He would do anything to not lose either son.

_ I- I have to make it right.  _

“Marcus…” Julius' voice remained soft, he couldn’t summon his cruelty with the weight of guilt on his shoulders… both for what may have happened to Antony, and for what had definitely happened to his elder son.

Julius’ throat clamped painfully as a flash of a little grey wolf flickered in his mind. A smiling pup with a grin not so cruel, and a genuine wagging of his tail chittered away little details about his day with his much less cynical dad. 

The old memory was an apt reminder of what he had given up as he attempted to appeal to his son, and it was accompanied by a desperate, existential thought,

_ I- I- ruined it. What- what the Hell am I supposed to say to fix this? _

The leader tried again, “Marcus,” his voice quickly became heavy with emotion, something that even caught himself off guard, “I’m sorry- I’m sorry I did this to you.” 

Julius’ regret was genuine if nothing else. 

“I- I was wrong about everything, about the doctrines! The way I treated you, the way they told me to treat you… The way I chose to shut you out!” 

He watched his son’s fur ruffle and his lips pull down into a displeased frown at the reminder of his childhood, but that didn’t stop Julius from spilling his guts… At this point he couldn’t stop, like a waterfall the words began to tumble one after another.

“Y- You were only a pup, Marky, and I-” Julius shuttered, and another tear ran down his muzzle at using that old term of endearment. He missed calling his son that. He really was a fool, and he knew it. 

“I- I was just trying to protect the pack, to protect you- but I did everything wrong! I should’ve done things differently… I shouldn’t have ever shut you out! I- I was a hypocrite and a fool for taking up those old teachings thinking they would save us-” 

He hesitated to continue, despite already being completely stripped bare. Some prideful part of himself still desired to conceal his failure, but he knew he had to rid himself of that if he was going to get through to his son. Drawing strength from the black paw that squeezed his shoulder, Julius continued his confession. 

“I thought the doctrines would hold us together- I learned every word those old dogs said and I- I swallowed it. Swallowed all of it! To save us from something we could’ve beaten on our own if I had just- just didn’t let my fear control me.” 

The Alpha was heaving now, trying to catch his breath as he pushed through his plea, 

“But it made things worse… I made things so much worse.” His guilt overtook him as he stepped forward closer to his son, he signaled to the pack to stay put. He had to do this on his own. 

“I hurt you, and I’m- I’m sorry, Marcus. I’m so sorry.”

He stood right in front of his son, almost nose to nose. At this point Julius was a wreck, and he didn’t try to hide it. He was exhausted, he was a failure, he had broken one son, and the other was nowhere to be seen, probably hurt and maybe worse. The leader certainly didn’t look like an Alpha anymore, and in his mind he wasn’t… he was just a father trying to piece back the relationship he broke with his son.

However, his son had turned stoney-faced during his confession (with the exception of when he had brought up his boy’s ruined childhood). And as he stood muzzle to muzzle with his boy he could only hope he got through to him.

“You really don’t know anything, father.” Marcus’ voice was quieter, but the sting never left, “You think- you think you can just say your sorry and I’ll move on just like that?” 

The younger grey wolf wasn’t emotional. He wasn’t, he swore. But the shaking in his voice as he yelled with full force what came to his mind next couldn’t be helped, “You think you can just FORGET ME for years and I’ll just accept whatever shit speech you make up just like that!?!” 

Marcus breathed heavily. “You forgot about me,  _ dad _ !” He swore he’d not use that word again, but this conversation was wearing out his patience and it just felt so natural as he yelled at his father, “I did everything you wanted me to do, I became the best there is at what we do and you don’t even notice!” 

Marcus felt his shoulder throb, reminding him that his father hadn’t even given a second glance to his injury. It felt symbolic to the wolf.

Forgotten. Afterthought… 

_ Not special _ .

That was him… 

The grey pup that used to cuddle with his dad had been told he couldn’t even touch the Alpha anymore. For years he sucked it up, and for years he dealt with that reality… Until another little pup came along, and then the rule seemed to change…

Marcus had accepted the doctrines, it made it easier. They made sense when his father didn’t. They told him he was worth at least something when his father said nothing. They showed his value and embraced him when he embraced them… But that sting from watching his younger brother and his father never would be forgotten. But he on the other paw… 

Forgotten. Afterthought.  _ Replaced… _

_ Not Special _ . Him. No amount of talk from the old wolf would change that. It would take far more than cheap, empty words to convince him. Until his father was willing to do more than that, He wouldn’t relent.

Especially not with the next words the Alpha said.

“Marcus, please, I’m-”

He growled at his father, cutting off the old wolf’s plea. That word pissed the grey wolf off more than anything. ‘Please.’ His mind flashed to an old memory.

**-0-0-**

The pup stood next to his father, tugging on the much larger wolf’s arm. He was lonely since the new rules were put in place, he couldn’t stand it. 

“But dad, please-”

A little grey wolf yipped at the sudden slap across his muzzle and stumbled to the ground.

“You won’t use that term anymore. You won’t touch me anymore. Remember the doctrines, there’s  _ nothing _ else if you ever want to lead, whelp.”

That response was becoming normalized for him, but it didn’t take the sting away. 

_ “I- I o- only wanted to hug like we used to...”  _ The little grey wolf cried silently. 

Why would his dad do that? He rubbed his snout trying to understand why his dad had turned so cold to him. He looked up just in time to see the grey leader turn his back from him and utter a harsh admonition.

“Toughen up, Marcus. I won’t tolerate this behavior.” 

The older wolf walked away from his child, secretly swallowing a lump in his throat at what he had to do, but nonetheless leaving behind a shaky, little wolf with glassy eyes and a tail that curled tightly between his legs. The tiniest, most wishful of pleas escaping his lips,

_ “Please dad…” _

**-0-0-**

There had been no mercy that day, no kindness, no comfort and no hope. His plea hadn’t been answered. 

It was a day that became a pattern, and a pattern that Marcus had been wise enough to eventually mold himself to. His eye twitched as he blinked away the slightest bit of water that had accumulated in his eyes. 

His growl never faltered however, not even as his paw moved on its own. He wasn’t sure if the move caught his old father off guard, but the wolf didn’t block it. It was a slap that used the full force he could throw behind it. One that sent the Alpha stumbling backwards from its impact. 

It was a call to violence that the old wolf would have to answer if he wanted to assert dominance over his son again, and that wasn’t something Marcus would allow. It was time to play dirty- time to reveal the mostly snow covered hole he had been standing in front of. The place that concealed the worthless corpse of his brother. It was time to make his father feel hopeless and filled with grief just like he had made him feel. It was time to-

“D- dad?”

Marcus froze as he heard a tiny voice coming from behind him. It was muffled, still covered by snow, but clear enough just for him to catch. And if he hadn’t just struck his father, it was one the old wolf would’ve heard too.

It couldn’t be. His plan…

Marcus’ fur ruffled.  _ Damn it- damn that pelt! _

There would never be a chance like this again. And with his father on the ground recovering quickly, and the rest of the pack stupefied, and rushing to Julius’ aid, Marcus saw red.

_ Why you little- _

In a flurry, Marcus turned back around and dove into the hole his brother had hollowed out, quickly finishing what that damn longears and redtail were too stupid to do themselves. 

**For the Love of Family.**

- **(A few minutes before.)** -

Neither Judy or Nick had been able to focus on the drama that was unfolding right above them. No, they had a bigger concern than figuring out the arguments happening above. Namely, trying to keep the pup from drawing the attention of the wolves as he began to stir. 

Judy and Nick needed a moment to gather themselves and make sure the wolf kit wouldn’t rouse in a panic if they wanted any hope to successfully defend him from the threats above.

The pup unconsciously clung to the rabbit that had shown him kindness, having pulled her close to his muzzle and nose as he slept. He was beginning to whine as his slumber shallowed, he was most definitely waking up. 

Judy ran her fingers through the fur around his ears in hopes to quieten his little noises and groans, the little wolf responded by coiling his arms a little tighter around her frame. He let out a sigh, before coughing lightly from his injured throat. 

He managed to stave off reality longer than expected, not really waking up until after a few loud peals of thunder, much louder than the wolves outside. He shivered, even asleep he could feel the violent rumbles of the storm, and they were enough to finally push his brain out of the land of soft meadows and peaceful slumber.

Antony groaned as he lifted his head up slightly, undoubtedly from the pain that was now registering all over his body. There was shouting in the background, but he didn’t notice with how sore and achy he felt all over and the haziness still muddling his mind. 

Thankfully for Judy and Nick the voices quieted down outside as the wolf pup slowly stirred enough to open his eyes.

Still even with relative silence, the fox and rabbit expected to see fear as the poor child awoke. Waking up in a dark hole underground, injured and with unfamiliar mammals would be upsetting for any kit. They would need to coo reassurances and do what they could to make sure he wouldn’t panic. That would've been the natural course for them in this situation. 

What wasn’t expected was for the little one’s eyes to soften with relief and a small, contented smile to cross his lips as he met eyes with the rabbit in his arms… Seeing that had surprised Nick, and although Judy was unaware of the contented look the wolf gave her, what he did next surprised her.

“J-judy?…” He said, voice hoarse and groggy, but eyes filled with hope.

She hadn’t expected to hear her name from him. He had hardly been able to whisper before, and although his voice wasn’t strong he had just said her name fairly clearly. She concluded that he must have picked it up when her and Nick were talking, and for whatever reason he felt comfortable enough to use it. But what had most surprised Judy was the way he had said it. 

She could hear hope in how he said her name. There was an unsureness that was palpable, and yet underneath that uncertainty she could feel an essence of trust… not unlike how little Cotton had taken ahold of Nick. It warmed her.

“Hey, sweetie… That’s me.” For Judy, that existential dread of the whole situation was returning, and the thought of leaving him behind troubled her again. 

She grasped one of his ears in her comparatively small paw before frowning. It didn’t help her conscience when he responded by pressing his muzzle against her side, nuzzling the rabbit and scenting her in a way similar to how Nick had done to her ears. She knew he was looking for reassurance, and his actions told her he was finding it with her.

Indeed, for Antony as he grounded himself in her scent, this was a moment that could only be described by a single word:  _ real. _

She was there and she was real. His nose confirmed it with the scent of fresh rain; he knew that scent, remembered it from somewhere else he had been, and he knew he could trust her. As long as he could breathe this in he knew that his fear and doubt could be pushed aside. 

She was real… and that meant, so was-

“N-nick?” The little wolf lifted his head up slowly, and with some effort his eyes searched for the red fox. 

He heard a rustling from up ahead in the tunnel and strained his neck to look for the mammal he remembered from earlier. Antony winced at the movement. His neck hurt so bad still. It no longer hurt every time he took a breath and it was even a little easier to talk than he remembered from before, but it still aches enough to make him want to cough. 

But the pain was still worth it when his eyes met the warm look the redtail gave him.

_ F-friends.  _ His mind said again. They were his friends.

The fox smiled lightly at hearing his name and turned around just in time to offer a kind smirk to the pup. Seeing the young kit cling to his Carrots was endearing and despite everything that was happening around them, Nick truly felt warm.

“You got it, big guy.” The fox confirmed. 

For a moment all felt well… until the pup noticed what Nick had grasped in his paw… 

While Judy was comforting the kit, Nick had taken the moment to retrieve a certain tool he had thrown aside earlier.

He held the spear carefully, making sure not to point the dirty, sticky dangerous end at his rabbit or the little wolf. He had gotten a good look at the weapon when he pulled it from the undug section of the tunnel. From what Nick could tell, the viscous poison clung to the spear without a problem… It would be ready for use. This spear, the spear that he had almost used to kill this innocent child, was now their only hope to protect him. He hadn’t a choice but to retrieve it, but that didn’t take away the guilt he felt when he saw the kit’s eyes focus on it.

The wolf subconsciously hid most of his face behind the rabbit he held, his eyes focused on the tool in the fox’s paw. Clearly, (and obviously,) seeing the weapon scared Antony. 

“Don’t worry big guy, I’m not gonna hurt you. I promise.” Nick said softly, trying to assuage the wolf.

“Nick’s a friend, remember?” Judy scratched behind the wolf’s ear, “He’s-” She caught herself, “ _ We’re _ here to help.”

She felt him relax a bit under her paw.

A vague memory… or was it a dream?… of other friends helping him was fuzzy in the back of his head, but he hadn’t forgotten that they did help him. They had helped him so much, but even so he couldn’t help but seek further affirmation.

“P-promise?” Antony tentatively whispered.

And that was that. Out of every thought that had crossed Judy’s mind throughout this whole ordeal, it was that little pleading word that did it, and not just for her.

“Promise.” 

That word hadn’t come from her lips. No, that was the voice of the fox she had grown to love. The fox that’s full of surprises, the fox that has a heart of gold and the fox that was too kind and softhearted for his own good. She loved him for that, and she loved him for that word.

“We both do.” Judy said. And with that she gently unraveled herself from his paws, getting ready to crawl around him to do what they could to protect him, “We’re here for you, sweetie.” 

The pup felt overwhelmed by their words, they were here for him. He hardly knew them, and yet they were his friends. His bandaged paw gently grabbed her arm, only slightly recoiling from the pain underneath the cloth before finding its purchase when her much smaller paw slid up to grasp his. 

He looked at her with gratitude, “My n-names, Antony.” He said quietly. 

He couldn’t say why, but he felt weird telling them his name. A tiny niggle of doubt made him afraid he might’ve overstepped. As kind and caring as they’ve been they owed him nothing, it almost felt like giving them his name was a burden he put on their shoulders… 

_ Antony _ . Hearing his name made their little promise to him all the more real. Indeed, it made the weight of what they were doing that much more heavy, but not because he was a burden. No, it was because it solidified what she already knew… No longer was she fighting for a nameless mammal, but for a kit that’s no different from Cotton or Ashes or Ollie. It was sobering, and it made her upset to think that leaving without trying to help him had been an option.

_ ‘And when we have to leave anyways.’  _ She heard Nick say in her head. 

The fox had a point when he had said that… they wouldn’t leave him, but what if he was taken away from them despite their efforts?

_ Serendipity, please protect him. _

She felt a small nudge on her shoulder, and looked to see that Nick was ready and poised for action. He sat there next to her and Antony (spear just to the side, ready but carefully distanced from the kit).

“Carrots, don’t leave him hanging.” He whispered.

That was enough for her to realize her error, he had told her his name and she had remained quiet. He was probably confused. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Antony.” She rubbed his paw with her own. She could hear him exhale in relief. It was sweet moments like this that she was thankful for, sweet moments like this that she wished they could stay in… 

But unfortunately the world waited for no one. 

And that was emphasized when the loud screaming outside finally resurfaced with a vengeance. 

The wolves had screamed several times while arguing, but Antony had been asleep for the brunt of it, he hadn’t truly begun to wake up until after the last claps of loud, booming thunder. And after he awoke, although the wolves were still talking, their voices had toned down by a few degrees. 

Already on guard, Judy and Nick had both silently kept an ear on the situation just in case the attention turned towards them. But thankfully Antony, just waking up and distracted by his two new friends, hadn’t even noticed the background noise. 

But that wasn’t meant to last.

And it was that familiar, fierce voice that erupted loudly once again, breaking the spell of silence. It of course would be his brother, and it of course would shatter whatever semblance of stability Antony had gained.

_ “You think you can just FORGET ME...!” _

Hearing Marcus’ voice was more terrifying than ever before. Everything his elder brother said after that frightening outburst was a blur to the little pup. He clenched his eyes shut and covered his ears, much too frightened by the shattering reality barreling down on him… 

Marcus was still here! 

He hadn’t escaped, he hadn’t dug to safety, and Antony knew Marcus was angry with him again. To the little wolf, Marcus even seemed to know that he had relaxed down here, that he felt safe with his new friends… that he had forgotten he was there… and now Marcus was going to take everything away from him.

But as quickly as the pup descended into fear, hope claimed him again. 

“Antony, Antony!” He heard his name spoken with concern, “We’re here! E- everything’s gonna be okay!” He felt one pair of tiny paws grab the side of his face to steady him, and another pair, undoubtedly Nick’s, already scurrying around the tight fit between his body and the tunnel wall.

He opened his eyes to see Judy, “We’ll protect you!” She gave his head a soft hug before quickly breaking off and squeezing around his body, “You just have to trust us!”

_ Trust.  _ He had always wanted a friend, someone who he could trust. Silently, he nodded to himself, “Th-they’re my friends…” He reminded himself.

He could trust them. He could trust them as much as any mammal, even as much as his- 

Antony’s ears perked up at a voice he registered for the first time since the pack had split up,

_ ‘Marcus, please I’m-’ _

Those were all the words he heard before the sentence was cut off by Marcus’ growl, but they were all he needed to hear. 

The voice of the mammal was one that he knew better than any other. His heart fluttered with renewed hope. It was the mammal he had called out to before Judy had comforted him, the mammal he knew would come, the mammal he had admired for most of his life. 

_ Dad. Dad! _

His father was here!

Antony took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. Things could get better now! With all his strength the little wolf mustered his voice. Just like when he had howled to the pack earlier, he put everything he could to call out to the mammal he knew had come to save him.

_ “D- Dad?”  _

Truthfully, his voice wasn’t much better than earlier, and even at his best efforts it was still relatively faint. Definitely enough for Judy and Nick to hear and question, but barely enough to reach out of the tunnel… But to the little wolf, he knew his father would hear him.

And because of that Antony felt safer again. His dad was here, and he could show him his new friends and how they helped him so much, and Marcus wouldn’t be able to hurt him again. 

For the first time since he had been in this hole, the little wolf felt some strength return to him, in some ways it was even excitement that filled him. Knowing his father was here washed away his worry, and the little wolf knew that he had to see his dad.

But he couldn’t do it like this. He was facing the wrong way, and he couldn’t really back up with Judy and Nick behind him and Marcus still outside. 

He had to turn his body around. 

Shakily, Antony lifted his body up the best he could, the tunnel around him was restraining to that of course, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. The pup wriggled sloppily (and painfully) to maneuver his frame in the tunnel. His injuries didn’t help at all, and vaguely he could hear Nick and Judy telling him to stop, but he couldn’t. He had to do this.

The whole effort of curling his body around didn’t actually take that long. The little wolf was motivated, and even the tight fit of the tunnel and the stinging underneath his patched wounds wouldn’t stop him. With effort, the little wolf rotated and reoriented himself until he was finally facing the widened tunnel entrance. 

Antony stared in awe for a second; the entrance, now covered in snow, was several paces away… he hadn’t kept track of how much he had dug before Judy had stopped him… he actually got kind of far without realizing it. However, his attention was soon turned away from the tunnel and to the fox and rabbit hovering closely to him. Judy was closer to his right, and Nick hugged the wall to his left. 

Antony could see Nick turn his head and look at him worriedly, the fox didn’t look happy that he had turned around. In fact, he looked upset that he had done so.

Antony couldn’t wrap his mind around why the fox would be worried about that. He couldn’t think of why that would bother his friends so much…

But as fast as that question sprung up, it was quickly answered. 

The growling he heard from his brother had persisted, and his father’s voice wasn’t there to stop it. Antony shivered, why wasn’t his dad stopping Marcus from growling? Why wasn’t-

In an instant, the cocoon of darkness made by the snow obstructing the entrance was shattered, and in its wake massive grey paws and the angry visage of his brother’s maw. 

Quickly did Antony regret his decision to turn around in the tunnel, and an understanding of why Nick and Judy had told him to stop sunk in. But it was too late. His eyes squeezed shut. He wished more than anything that he had closed his eyes fast enough to not have locked gazes with his brother. He had been too slow though, and so too with any attempt to cover his ears before his brother’s voice filled the tunnel.

“You fucking pelt, you’re supposed to be dead!” 

The hatred was pure, and the intentions couldn’t be clearer to the three mammals in the tunnel: Marcus was going to kill him. 

The small amount of solace Antony had found in hearing his father’s voice splintered to pieces. He was going to die. He let out a small dreadful, cry knowing his brother was nearing.

Marcus’ paws dug into the dirt as he squeezed himself into the tunnel. Damn, for once his damn brother’s size was an advantage. There was still enough room for him, but it was that much more challenging to get to the runt, and with the comprehension that his father and the pack would soon realize what was going on, he had to be quick in his actions. 

Thankfully, the Ancestors were smiling at his efforts. He knew it, was sure of it, otherwise they wouldn’t have allowed the pelt’s throat to already be in view. The stupid pup had turned around just for the purpose of hastening his death, it could only be divine providence. His eyes fixed on his trembling target as he readied to strike.

Marcus’ paw swiped towards his brother; the little wolf was still out of range but his actions were enough to terrorize the runt further, at least he would get to savor that. 

Now all he had to do was get close enough to-

Marcus roared in pain as he felt a piercing thrust in the paw that fell short of his target. 

“You can’t have him!” A feminine voice yelled out.

Marcus clenched his teeth at that voice. 

It was that damn longears again. That was twice now she had wounded him when he was so close to his prize! He would deal with her first. 

With renewed fury, he inched his body closer, and when his eyes traced a new thrust from the rabbit, his paw was much swifter and stronger than hers. With his bleeding paw, he clasped the stick behind its point and yanked it forward fiercely. 

He smirked, the rabbit was smart enough to let go, but not smart enough to let go before stumbling forward from his tug. It would be her fatal mistake. His free paw, albeit somewhat restrained from the confines of the walls, lashed out at the rabbit now in range.

He knew she could see it coming. Her terrified shriek from his paw closing in told him she saw it and couldn’t avoid it.  _ Perfect _ . The impact might kill her, and at the very least maim her terribly before he’d get to finish her off, and what more could he want than that? 

However, that satisfaction was cut short, along with the trajectory of his clawed paw… 

It had been a combination of two factors that had saved the longears’ life, two simultaneous actions that left Marcus’ claws unable to do their job to their full effect. 

One, a sudden tug on his back paws had made the brunt of his force sputter short and only glance off the face of the longears; that had probably saved the rabbit’s life, although it hadn’t saved her from a deep gash that swiped down her cheek. The impact knocked the inferior, diminutive mammal to the floor of the tunnel. He could tell by the warm sensation at the end of his claw tips, as well as her cries that he had gotten her good… but not near enough for what he had intended. The tug had cut his trajectory, and another action had dramatically reduced his brute force: a sharp pain that dug into his striking paw’s wrist. 

His eyes flicked to the side of the tunnel and narrowed, Marcus’ intense focus on first his brother and then the longears had left him vulnerable again. Once more Marcus had allowed himself to get too carried away in his furious attack, and he had paid for it.

He wouldn’t mess up again. 

The fox was slow to withdraw his weapon away from him, it appeared stunned by the cries of the longears, even to the point of calling out what Marcus assumed was the prey’s name. 

It was a sentimental mistake that he would capitalize on. With skill, Marcus ripped away the redtail’s spear in the same way he had taken the rabbit’s. 

His enemy was disarmed and helpless now! Now he could- 

He could- 

He-

He shook his head at the fog that was encroaching on his mind. 

Something like a burning fire tore its way up from his arm and began spreading to the rest of his body. He threw his head violently against the side of the tunnel wall, and then again to the wall on the opposite side, trying to escape the burning sensation. It was a futile effort, one that brought immense frustration to the wolf, followed by renewed ferocity.

Marcus’ head began to spin, and a new growl ripped from his throat, this one a new level of wrath straight from his hindbrain. 

Whatever they had done to him hurt worse than anything he had ever felt and he would make them pay for it! Enraged, Marcus barked like a rabid dog at the redtail, snarling wildly and doing everything he could to reach them. 

But Marcus’ actions only resulted in the creature taking a natural step back, making it only further out of reach. His eyes glazed over as he tried his damnedest to reach the target wildly. 

However, the grey wolf felt another strong tug from behind him, taking away the precious little ground he had gained. It was an action that angered him greatly. He dug in to prevent whatever that was from trying to deny him his meal. He wouldn’t allow it, he would have his prey! 

Slit, vertical pupils focused in on an easier, slightly closer target. With all his strength the unhinged wolf lunged at the bunny that was lying on the tunnel floor cupping her bleeding face. She looked weak, too hurt to resist, a perfect target! 

He would have it! He would have that bloody morsel! With a raised paw and enough gained ground in the tunnel, Marcus swiped again to kill the little grey mammal. 

“Judy!” he heard the redtail yell helplessly from its position. It wasn’t fast enough to hinder his attack this time.

Marcus’ claws sank into flesh and a wretched cry filled the tunnel… but it was neither the flesh or the voice of his intended target. 

The white paw that had suddenly placed itself in front of the rabbit and the redtail had saved them. However, Marcus couldn’t deny the hit satisfied him, there was something familiar about this other mammal in this tunnel, it was a target that transcended hunger. 

His eyes watched the tantalizing ribbons of blood flow from the open claw marks on the smaller wolf’s arm. Even as his mind hazed, Marcus knew the screams and distressed whines of his brother, and if the dog wanted to take more abuse then he would gladly oblige him.

Ultimately, he would kill them all anyways. And there wasn’t anything they could do to stop-

“NO!” A child’s shout filled the tunnel, not one of physical pain but emotional.

Little Antony had been stunned, too stunned to do anything at first. He was utterly terrified of his brother, but his friends had stepped in, they had fought for him when he couldn’t fight for himself. And now one of them was severely hurt. 

He used his much larger paws to pull them closer to his body and hug the little mammals close to him. He could feel Nick pick up Judy and cradle her to his body, even as Antony pulled them both as closely to his body as he could. He backed up as far as possible for him inside the tight space, all while yelling as loudly as he could, 

“No, no, no, no, no! There my friends!” 

He cried as his paws, both at this point so tattered and hurt, covered the two that had protected him. Tears rolled from his face wildly, he couldn’t fight Marcus but he couldn’t watch them get hurt either. Not after what they had done for him. Antony didn’t want to get hurt anymore, but he’d rather watch his brother shred his arms to nothing before he watched his friends get hurt any further.

Luckily for Antony, it wouldn’t come to that. His loud shouting had given him just what he needed.

A familiar voice from outside yelled loudly, “WE HAVE TO GET THIS DAMN MONSTER OUT OF THERE, GET HIM OUT! I HEARD ANTONY IN THERE… BOSS, ANTONY’S IN THERE!”

There was a stronger tug than before, and definitely more paws grasping and pulling him backwards. Marcus’ mind was in a frenzy now. What he saw in front of him was infuriating. He was being denied his kill, he was being denied all that was rightfully his! And if he couldn’t have them, then he would have whatever creatures were outside trying to stop him!

If they wanted trouble he would oblige them. 

Marcus backed out of the hole, and with the multiple pulling paws that had a hold of his hind legs (and one even clasping his tail) it wasn’t any trouble. Now the only thing his hindbrain was trying to figure out was which paw to bite when they came in view.

The cold and snowy air hit his face and signaled to his brain just when to curl back and strike. With the renewed freedom and stunning agility for his condition, Marcus snapped his body around until his teeth found purchase into the first bit of flesh they came across.

A pained feminine yip pierced the air. 

The sound did nothing but confirm to Marcus that he had what he wanted; the near-rabid wolf flailed his head to shake the trapped paw, violently tearing the flesh open. Finally the taste of blood bursted on his tongue, he needed more of it! 

And no amount of blows from the wolf in his teeth would stop him. In fact, he could hardly feel them at all! Every bit of damage felt no stiffer than the wind beating against his coat.

However, the wolf in his grip wasn’t the only one.

“Casey!” Brute yelled for his mate, concern for her overwhelming him. He repeatedly struck the crazed dog on the face and head, and quickly Wolford joined in too. 

Using both blunt force and clawed attacks, the three wolves that pulled Marcus out of the tunnel were landing blow after blow to the grey wolf’s face and body to force him to let go. Strangely, open gashes and serious brute force to the wolf’s face and neck and body did little to release Casius from his teeth.

In fact, it had the opposite effect. Marcus’ jaws tightened and he shook the paw in his mouth more violently in retaliation. Her pained cries and the cries of the black wolf next to her made him all the more intent on his actions, even as the gashes and cuts built up on his own frame. None of it seemed to matter, he had to sate his anger and he finally had his prey! Nothing would take it away from him, nothing would-

“MARCUS!” 

Marcus stilled, his hackles raised and his growl rumbled louder than any peal of thunder that this godsforsaken storm could throw at them. Like the wolf in the tunnel, that voice transcended all others.

It was safe to say Marcus’ rational thought was long gone. He was left only with his most based thoughts and emotions, as well as his natural instincts. And that voice… it was tied to so many of them. 

Feelings of anger, pain, sorrow, and longing flared within the grey wolf. It was enough for him to want to turn his attention to the wolf he knew it belonged to.

With a final violent shake, he relinquished the female wolf’s paw. The act was enough to make sure she would be too damaged to interfere… 

There was a more important target now, and he had to have it. 

With slit pupils Marcus looked for the offending mammal. His eyes caught what they wanted and expertly he jumped out of the fray of the mammals assaulting him and towards his new target…  _ The target. _

**-0-0-**

Julius had intended to jump in and rescue Antony the moment they pulled Marcus out. The relief he had felt knowing his younger son was alive was immense. However, he hadn’t expected to see his eldest son come out like this. 

Marcus had lost it. It was even as if he had reverted to feral behavior, and if he didn’t stop his son himself the pack would have no choice but to stop him by any means necessary. Especially with what he was doing to Casius.

The hope for his younger son was there, Antony could be saved. But Marcus… 

Julius couldn’t abandon him again. “MARCUS!”

_ I won’t lose you… _

He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Certainly, not as a result of his own stupid actions.

However, in an instant, reaching his son didn’t seem to be the problem… The wolf had released Casius and jumped free from the others, and the moment Marcus’ eyes locked with his own, Julius knew they were about to get close at least in one sense. 

The Alpha readied himself for impact at seeing his son’s posture turn into that of a forward lunge right at him- teeth aimed for his neck. 

Julius caught him in midair, but hadn’t been steady enough to counterbalance the force of his son’s attack. 

He fell on his back into the snow with Marcus bearing down on him more fiercely than the blizzard around them, teeth snapping violently at Julius’ face and throat. 

Julius managed to hold the attack at arm's length.

“BOSS!”

Julius grit his teeth as he heard Wolford approaching, “No! This is my fight, Demas! Save Antony!”

He couldn’t let the others hurt Marcus, just looking at his son now he could see the wolf had lost so much blood, and the severe blows from his packmates had done a number even if the wolf didn’t act like it yet… It would all catch back up to him. 

He couldn’t let another strike hit him. This was his son, and it was his fault he was like this.  _ He _ had hurt him, and despite the many injuries on Marcus’ body,  _ he _ was the real reason his son was striking out like a wounded animal… 

Even now, his son’s eyes, as savage and clouded with anger as they were, had streaks of tears flowing down from them. His son was hurting and he was the cause.

Another memory flashed behind Julius’ eyes in that moment. This one of a tiny grey wolf comfortably sleeping on his chest, small muzzle resting gently on his neck. Content in the moment with each other.

Julius gritted his teeth as he held Marcus at bay. This was all on him to fix. It was his responsibility to save his family… and he would do it. Even if he had to put his life on the line.

“Marky, I’m sorry.”

The son lashed out harder, digging his claws into the wolf underneath him. Marcus didn’t comprehend the words really, but something inside of him told him the noise was probably just as empty as his belly was right now.

“I messed up so bad,” tears were forming in the Alpha’s eyes as he thought about his many unseen failures, “I wish I could take it all back, I wish I had held you close every day, I wish-”

Julius winced as he felt his skin tear from a claw. Marcus was scratching at Julius’ arms trying to undermine the Alpha’s grip on him. 

“I wish I told you how much I loved you each and every day. I’m sorry, Marky.”

Julius’ heart hurt so badly for what he had caused, no matter what his son did to him right now it wouldn’t compare to the regret he felt in his heart. “I- I love you Marcus. You will always be my first pup.” Julius’ arms gave a little, letting Marcus get all the more closer. His son’s teeth snapped the air right above his neck before turning to a target much closer. 

Marcus bit hard into the other wolf’s nose, his sharp teeth finally digging into something else. It was a strong bite, one that he made an effort to repeat. He bit a second time, his teeth caught the side of the other wolf’s snout, and drew blood. Just what he was looking for.

However, much to the feral wolf’s chagrin, the taste was bitter. 

The bite wasn’t satisfying… 

Even after he had finally hurt him, the wolf underneath hadn’t shouted out in pain, and hadn’t relented in that calm voice that made his head hurt and his eyes water uncontrollably. 

Marcus’ anger hadn’t left, nor his sorrow, or that strange feeling in his chest that hurt so badly every time the other wolf opened its mouth to speak those words that his brain couldn’t understand but the beating in his heart could. 

He had to make it stop. He had to rid himself of the pain that the words caused. So Marcus did the only thing he knew how to do, he kept snapping and snapping, lashing out in hopes of cutting the pain away.

Vaguely He recollected the soft words the other wolf made from a time so long ago. Back in long ago days when the words would make him smile and his tail wag. But somewhere along the way they had all stopped. 

Why? 

Why had they stopped? 

His fogged mind couldn’t decipher what the words meant or why the other wolf would ever stop saying them to him. But what his mind could do was nag him, remind him how angry he was that the wolf did stop, and how saying all the noises and words now made him feel vulnerable and small and hurt.

So Marcus snapped his teeth again, this time grazing the jawline of the other wolf. He aimed lower at the prize he sought, what laid in the crook underneath the other wolf’s muzzle. What would surely take away his own pain.

_ “I love you.”  _ Marcus heard again and again.

He scratched and dug his claws into the older wolf’s sides harder and more savagely.

_ “I- I love you, Marcus. I’ll always-” _

His teeth bit at the thick fur at the other wolf’s neck, he was so close now.

_ “-love you. Don’t forget that I’ll love you-” _

The other wolf’s paws were giving up on holding him back! Now was his chance! Marcus lunged at the other wolf’s neck, finally grasping its prize. They dug in, but at the same time he felt the paws of the other wolf wrap around him tightly.

_ “-No matter what,”  _ He heard faintly.

He bit harder. Sinking as deep as his teeth would take him, and tasting what he sought. Now all he had to do was shake the other wolf violently and rip its throat out. It would be as easy as that… 

Only to find… his jaw was struggling to move. 

Marcus had bit deeply into the other wolf’s neck, no doubt biting into what was vital for the other wolf to survive… but he couldn’t end it quickly… As his teeth clenched firmly, so too did the arms of the other wolf around his body, but not in a way to harm him or even stop him.

Marcus’ eyes wouldn’t stop watering as he felt the weight of the arms wrapped around him. The other wolf’s paws were softly combing through his fur as if he were a child… even as his teeth were pressed deep into its neck.

He couldn’t end it. He couldn’t because it wasn’t what he really wanted… 

_ “I really do love you. _ ” Julius tightened his grip, hugging his son with all the strength he still had. “ _ I’ll never stop, Marky. I promise. _ ”

Marcus’ body trembled at the other wolf’s words. They were too confusing for him, too painful, the feelings in his chest were a vice grip only comparable to the tight embrace of the mammal he was trying to kill. His higher brain couldn’t access it, and yet his body and spirit knew exactly what he was saying through both tone and the way he held him… the way he  _ hugged _ him.

“You’re my son, my boy, and you deserved better th-than what I gave you…” The other wolf’s voice was strained, and the blood that began oozing from under Marcus’ teeth was telling of the significant damage already done.

Seeing the other wolf struggling to breathe was supposed to make the grey wolf feel better, but why was it that he was the one that couldn’t catch his breath now? Why was it that he was hyperventilating at each ‘I love you’ even though he was barely grasping their meaning? Every word the other wolf spoke troubled something within Marcus, something he currently didn’t understand, but knew to be true deep within himself. 

The words made Marcus angry and at the same time helpless, panicked, miserable and bitter, but so did the thought of snuffing out the other mammal’s voice. It was as if he was afraid of both light and darkness, and by killing this wolf he would be blowing out the only candle he had in a world of shadows. Both choices would leave him feeling pained, but one couldn’t be taken back. 

It wasn’t fair. Why was it that everything in his life had to be this way? Why was it every decision he would make would be wrong no matter what he chose? 

Marcus closed his eyes in anger as he came to a decision. His grip faltered, and he let go of the other wolf’s neck. With eyes bleary from tears, and his face covered with his blood and the blood of so many others, Marcus felt sick. 

His heart throbbed painfully, as well as his head at making the decision to not act on his anger any further. His eyes were rounding back out, and only now as he began to feel a bit calmer did he start to feel all the hits he had sustained in his constant fighting. 

His arm specifically burned where that redtail had stabbed him, and that burning persisted all the way to his head. It made his head feel worse and his whole body feel ill now that the adrenaline and initial boost of his fury had worn off.

He felt weak. Weaker than he had ever felt before, and oh so vulnerable… 

He wasn’t supposed to be that way. He was supposed to be strong, supposed to not let anything hurt him ever again. But as his mind came back little by little, that was far from the case. 

Nothing went according to plan. He had failed miserably, and now he was vulnerable… 

But strangely, for the first time since he was a pup that didn’t bother him so much. He was indeed vulnerable, and yet the wolf he was with made it alright. 

Lying on top of the other wolf, feeling its grip around his body, and hearing those soft, fading, ‘I love you’s,’ was his solace. There was a familiarity recognized in the way those arms held him, a familiarity that made it impossible to leave as his anger lessened gradually.

As he came to, part of the still semi-savage wolf, so angry at the world and angry at the wolf right beneath him, growled lightly at the rest of him for lying there with this mammal that he should’ve killed outright. 

Why was he letting himself stay here with the wolf that had hurt him more than any other creature in the world? 

Why couldn’t he just strike him down? 

Why did the rest of him want  _ this _ ?... want to hear those soft words of love and be hugged by this wolf?

Those hard questions were only assuaged when the paw of the other wolf gently rubbed the back of his neck. The action gently coaxed Marcus’ mind and convinced him to lay his head against the blood soaked fur of the other wolf’s neck. 

This was where he used to rest, right? Back when things were simple and life made sense? 

His ear ticked lightly at the other wolf’s voice.

“M-Marky, I th-think you’re just as hurt as I am.”

Julius was trying to put on a brave face. His son had calmed down, and he was glad for that… and on some level he knew he had gotten through to him… But damn if his boy didn’t look like he was fading away… and damn if he didn’t feel the same. A whine from the wolf resting on him was the answer he received.

Julius, just like he had done with his grey pup so long ago, kept combing through his fur slowly. One paw slowed to a rest on the center of Marcus’ back, feeling the rhythmic intakes of breath his son took in… 

He could feel it slowing, feel his son’s breath shallowing with each subsequent intake.

A tear slid down Julius’ cheek at the realization of what was happening.

He felt his son rest his muzzle against the underside of his neck, even over where he had previously bitten. Both were too tired to care, and both  _ hadn’t _ forgotten the days of a father who would hold his son this close daily. 

It was…  _ Peaceful _ . 

Marcus’ arms gripped weakly against the sides of the other wolf, in a way returning the hug his father held him in. He sighed deeply, coming to terms with what he was feeling inside of himself. 

As the grip of his father wrapped around him for the first time in years, and the memories of a time when things weren’t so complicated resurfacing, the grey wolf relaxed. 

His eyes rounded back to normal, and he took a deep breath as he quietly returned the very words that he had sworn he’d never say again… 

“I… I- l love you t- too, dad.” 

Marcus felt exhausted as the words crossed his lips. 

There was a monumental emotional effort in it, the feeling of an unrealized heavy weight fell from his shoulders and he sighed in relief. His anger fell away, leaving only a burning pain from his wounds, a deep tiredness, and a sense of confusion over his actions. He didn’t know if the doctrines were right or wrong, he didn’t know if his father was weak or strong… he didn’t know how he felt about any of it or even how he felt about himself… 

But he did know that he could lie here and his father would hold him. 

He knew that his father was sorry… and… he knew a part of himself was sorry too. 

He knew that even though he still felt a little angry that his father had forgotten him before… that he wasn’t forgotten now. 

And he knew that his father loved him even though he had tried to hurt him, and he knew he  _ loved _ his father despite how he felt about him for so long.

Marcus’ eyes softened a little as he closed them to sleep. 

_ Love… Damn. I really am weak. _ Marcus clinged a little tighter to his dad as the darkness encroached on him.  _ I guess… that’s okay though.  _

He heard his father whisper one last ‘I love you, Marcus.’ 

At that, Marcus smiled a very small genuine smile that wouldn’t have been out of place on a young pup holding his long lost dad. And with one last thought crossing his mind …  _ I really love you too.  _ The grey wolf drifted off to sleep.

Julius could feel his son’s paws tighten… and then slack to nothing. He only held his pup all the tighter. “I love you, Marcus.” He choked on a cry as he held the limp body of his elder son. His paw shook as it registered the final shallow breath of his eldest child.

_ I’m sorry, Marcus. I’m so sorry.  _

The father cried bitterly as he held his pup. His actions had led him here, and his sons both had paid the price. One was undoubtedly hurt and traumatized, and the other pup now lay cradled in his arms cold and unmoving. 

His son was dead, and there was no one to blame but himself. 

Julius’ eyes looked blankly to the snowy sky straight above him, and at how it howled with fury and darkness.

_ ‘You forgot me.’  _ He heard his son say in his head.

It was the truth. For both of his children. He had left them out in the cold alone…

He watched a streak of lightning flash through the sky and felt the trailing peal of thunder shake the forest around him. 

His son’s body was torn up badly, and he had broken the doctrines in his dying breaths. If anything he knew about the afterlife was true…

A mocking clap of thunder sounded off again. 

...Marcus was alone up there.  _ Forgotten, abandoned, alone.  _ Julius’ throat tightened at that possibility. However, he wasn’t left in that thought for too long.

Hazily, Julius felt another presence to his side, a black wolf crouched down next to him.

“Old friend…” Brute’s voice was urgent, concerned and regretful. 

The black wolf had been caught up in his mate's injury, and then in the retrieval of Antony with Wolford. There was some sort of resistance that the young wolf was putting up in there that neither wolf could understand. A resistance that had let the damn fox and rabbit escape without penalty, and one where young Antony wouldn’t talk to them ever since they retrieved him from the tunnel.

The whole hunt had been a failure in the making, and the moment they retrieved Antony, they had to get him far from what had caught Brute’s eyes. 

And that had led him here. He had been too late, and now his closest friend was severely injured and Marcus was dead. 

The wolf had to save his friend. He had to close up the wound!

Julius felt Brute begin to try to move Marcus’ muzzle from the nook of his throat, undoubtedly so he could try to stem his bleeding.

“Don’t, Brute.” Julius’ voice was weak, his loss of blood was catching up to him now that the shock of his son’s death was subsiding and the grief was setting in. “Leave him be.”

“Julius, you’ll die! I need to stop the-” 

“It’s okay, my friend.” The seriousness in Brute’s previous assertion didn’t move the Alpha, and with the mocking winds and thunder telling him of his son being alone in the afterlife, Julius had come to a bitter decision. “I know.”

_ I can't abandon him, I won’t leave him like that again.  _ It was his fault, so much of it… and Julius would take responsibility for it. It was his sin, and the price to pay to make things right was… his life. 

Shocked, Brute locked eyes with his friend. His fur raised at the resolute gaze that met him. 

“You’re serious.” His face turned grim. Julius, his friend was okay with dying. He just got his old friend back; he couldn’t lose him again, “Julius, you can’t! What about the pack!? What about us!? What about Antony!?”

The mention of his younger son caught Julius’ attention and brought joy and despair to his eyes. Brute just confirmed his son had made it… but now he would have to leave his younger son behind again. He swallowed hard at the bitter trade off, but he Alpha what he had to do. Antony had mammals here, but Marcus didn’t where he was.

“I- I need you to make sure he’ll be okay. Make sure h- he’s loved, Brute. Th- that he’s not alone. Keep him safe. Th- that’s an order.”

Brute was beside himself at his friend’s words. He wanted to save him, it would be close but he might be able to survive this if he could just stop the bleeding. 

But the conviction in his friend’s eyes kept him still. Julius was set on this.

“T-tell him I love him, Brute. That I’ve always loved him.” 

The black wolf closed his eyes tightly and nodded his head, “I- I will friend. I’ll make sure of it all. We’ll take care of him…  _ No matter what. _ ”

The Alpha let out a sigh, relieved of the assurance and the affirmation of their old covenant. 

He could count on them. 

Julius cradled his son’s body close, and gently rubbed the still wolf’s back. The Alpha could see the shadows in his peripherals now, and he knew it wouldn’t be long until he was reunited with his son. “Friends t- to the end, weren’t we?”

Brute clenched his teeth at the question. The Alpha’s voice was slurring and the question was asked in a voice much too quietly. Still he answered strongly, “Always, my brother. Always.” 

Brute watched quietly for the next few moments, his friend had held on tightly to his eldest son with everything he had. It didn’t take long for the Alpha to close his eyes and for his paws to slowly still, both firmly clinging to his lost son even after his heart stopped beating.

Silently Brute muttered to himself, “I’ll keep my promise, old friend. He’ll be taken care of…  _ No matter what. _ ” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoyed writing this chapter, I hope it came across the way it was intended. I certainly didn't want to leave anyone hanging on this scene any further. Next chapter will be Nick and Judy centric and explain what had happened in the tunnel with Wolford and where Nick and Judy went. 
> 
> Also, I will change/changed the previous chapters name to 'Sins of the Father Part 1' I think it fit better.
> 
> I hope everyone has a great rest of the day!


	29. More Than A Fox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter. Everything's going to be okay.

**More Than A Fox**

Judy woke in a frightened start, her eyes snapping open and her lungs unable to catch her breath after experiencing the worst nightmare her brain had ever conjured up. 

Mentally she wrestled with fragmented visions of dangerous claws from one wolf, and sounds of pitiful canid whimpering from another. 

The loud rumbles of thunder coming from above were of no help to calm her down, and at this point, she couldn’t tell if it was her body that was trembling from fright, or if the thunder had just shaken the whole world around her. 

The desperate and fearful rabbit was hopelessly confused as she groggily tried to look around. The action only made her feel more alarmed.

_ Where am I?! _

She awoke somewhere shrouded in complete darkness, and the world around her felt so hot that she was sure she was suffocating. Her ears, as they became more alert, picked up on a light growl around her. Her brain woke up in an instant after that, feeding her images of violent teeth and claws belonging to a massive grey canine- they were the last things she saw before things ent blurry. 

_ It’s got me! _

As illogical as it was, Judy’s mind jumped to the only conclusion it could think of. 

The wolf had her. 

She was sure of it. 

It had been the last thing she remembered clearly: her defending the wolf kit with Nick, and then… the wolf slashing her in the face… and then- she trembled again- she watched its paw coming down from above to hit her again. To finish her off just like a cruel fox had tried so long ago.

She covered her eyes with her paws, willing the scene to go away. But the action only made her imagination stir worse. Behind her eyelids, her fear of claws reared its ugly head. Old memories of a Gideon Grey from long ago was superimposed with a massive, hateful wolf.

The doe’s hindbrain finally took over while Judy’s mind dealt with her past trauma. 

Her instincts quickly came to a consensus on what she had to do… 

_ Flee. Run! ESCAPE! _

Her instincts wasted no time in coming to that decision. However her body had other ideas. As she began to move her limbs to escape, the bunny realized two things. 

The first being that her arms and legs were painfully stiff. 

_ How long have I been out?  _

She was stiff enough that even her panic made it difficult to move. Her arms and legs were as rigid as stone and as stable as water. The reason why became clear as she realized the second thing.

Her fingers ran along a soft linen on top of her. She was swaddled in a fuzzy cloth that restricted what little movements she could make. Something was draped over her, covering her face and body entirely. 

Was she shoved into a bag? 

From what she had figured out as a scout, that wasn’t an uncommon thing to happen to small, captured prey… It explained why she was in complete darkness, why she would wake up so stiff and why it was so hot and difficult to breathe.

A panic arose from that thought, and to make matters worse, her nose, finally waking up, picked up the scent of blood. Primal fear caused her to let out a squeak. 

Immediately she regretted it, all of her observations had led her to panic, but each one of those took a backseat as her ears flicked to a tired grumble she now recognized was coming from  _ directly _ beneath her.

The light growl from earlier was affirmed by new sounds of grumbling and groaning. They were clearly predatory in nature, and from a mammal larger than her. 

Part of it sounded familiar and a piece of her whispered to not be afraid, but it was too late. Her frenzied hindbrain wasn’t ready to come to terms with alternatives. It only registered that she was trapped in some sort of cloth prison and directly on top of a creature that would soon eat her if she didn’t move. 

Her original conclusion of it being that hateful wolf felt justified now.

What else could it have been?

Briefly, her mind turned to when she had heard the wolf howls in the distance on her very first night with Nick. The wolves taunted her then, and this one was taunting her  _ now _ . In her head, she had been captured by that wolf, and it was trying to humiliate her before it would finally finish her off.

_ Fight! Survive, flee!  _ Her hindbrain screamed again,  _ Just like we did with that fox! _

Natural instinct mixed with fear were doing their damnedest to take over again. It had taken a while, but her mind finally caught up to what her instincts had been screaming all along.

_ I- I have to get out of here! I have to get to N-Nick and the kits…  _

And then, as fast as her mind came to, it stalled to a  _ complete _ halt. Everything shut down at once as her stomach sank at a new possibility. 

If the wolf had gotten her… 

Then had it gotten Nick too? 

And what about her siblings? 

Her heart dropped at the thought. She tried her best to fill in the gaps of what could’ve happened, and soon a heartbreaking scene bubbled to the surface. Her mind flashed back to the tunnel to when she was laying there slashed by the terrible wolf and watching it about to finish her off when-

**“Judy!”**

Her eyes widened, Nick had called out to her desperately and then… 

She remembered a blurry figure jumping in the way of the paw strike. The scene ended and her memories went fuzzy again. 

She hadn’t been able to remember exactly who or what that had been… But in her head right now, _she_ _knew_ … 

She  _ knew _ her fox… Knew that it wasn’t in his nature to leave someone behind… knew he wouldn’t leave  _ her _ . She swallowed hard at the conclusion she came to… 

If she was alive… then it must’ve been Nick who took that blow from the wolf… and that would mean that he and her siblings were-

She let out a wracked sob… She couldn’t go through that again, couldn’t be responsible for losing her family again… couldn’t even bear the thought of such a scenario. 

Her hindbrain, trying to take back control, did it’s best to stop her from crying. She covered her mouth, hoping the creature she was laying on top of hadn’t heard her tiny wails. 

But it had been a false hope. Something that became apparent when she felt the body of the creature move tiredly before stirring awake with an irritated groan. It had clearly been asleep too. She could hear it clear its throat before feeling it slowly rifle a paw up her body through the cloth. It moved from her back until it reached her neck and rested there as it slowly woke. 

Even though the touch was feather light, she shivered in fear from what those paws could do. 

_ Would do.  _

The wolf had been no different from that Gideon Grey. It sought malice and death and was full of hatred. Except this time… the predator had succeeded.

She closed her eyes tightly… She didn’t escape, and she didn’t lead the threat away from her family. No, she had done the opposite. 

And now, despite how much her instincts told her to leave, at the thought of  _ surely _ losing Nick and the kits… her legs refused to move… 

She… 

_ I didn’t save them. _

She gave up. 

Her eyes watered uncontrollably as she waited for the clawed paw to do what it surely had done to the rest of her family.

She didn’t protect them. 

The doe began to sob uncontrollably at the reality she knew was true. Her family was gone again, this time without hope of return. She could care less for what the wolf holding her would do to her now anyways.

In her head, she had failed them all, her dad, her mom, her siblings, her fox… 

So, why live?

However, as the minutes went on, the wolf hadn’t harmed her like she thought it would.

When Judy had first noticeably trembled, the paw had only frozen stalk still. When she had begun to cry silently it only patted against her back in a soothing manner, something Judy hadn’t understood. And when she finally cried with reckless abandon, the wolf went still again. It didn’t lash out at her, or laugh or mock her, it was almost as if her cries had shocked it into silence. 

It confused Judy why the wolf was behaving this way, until-

“F-Fl-Fluff?” His voice was tired and raspy as if he had just fully awoken, but unmistakably it was painted with the kind concern that was characteristic of  _ him _ .

Judy’s eyes opened wide at the unexpected nickname, and her mouth gaped at hearing his voice. Those pesky visions of hateful claws and teeth surrounding her vanished, and she now recognized the real feel of warm, loving paws.

“N-nick?” Her voice was somehow even more tired and raspy than his, gods how long was she out? 

The questions that had filled her frantic and frightened mind when she awoke were finally being answered. 

Where was she?

She was with her fox. That much was obvious now, and the nightmare scenario she  _ thought _ she’d woken up to was just that… a scenario. She had thankfully come to the wrong conclusion.

Why she couldn’t see anything and why it was so hot became just as clear as she felt the cloth that Nick had used to swaddle her gingerly unraveled and lifted away. In his paw she saw his undershirt, he had apparently used it to wrap her up in.

Free from the cloth prison, her paws grasped the fluffy white fur surrounding her, and it made sense why she had heard a predator so close. Wrapped up in the cloth, she had been sleeping on his chest.

Free and with his shirt tossed to the side, Judy wobbly she sat upright on his soft, fuzzy undercoat.

Sitting on his chest, while her fox was lost for words and merely petting the fur of her back, she turned her head at the vague sound of crackling wood. Her worried eyes focused on the only source of light in the dark room she found herself to be in: a warm aura of smoldering coals from a small fireplace. 

She sighed in relief. Seeing the hypnotic sight helped her calm down; she finally caught her breath. Her body slacked a bit as she thought she recognized just where she was. The little fire across from them while she laid comfortably with her fox in a dark room suggested that it was- 

_Home?_ _We’re in our den?_

A comforting thought that her brain  _ hoped _ for with all its might… As impossible as that was.

She knew it couldn’t possibly be there den, not with everything that had happened.

But from what she saw, where else could they be? 

She allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe… they were home. That maybe, the attack had just been a bad dream brought on by her pent up fears and previous traumas.

Her heart calmed even further when she heard a quiet yawn closer to her feet. Her eyes caught a sandy brown doe tiredly moving around and resettling under a blanket covering Nick’s tail. Cotton sleepily climbed over both Ashes and Ollie in her restless movements, eliciting tired groans from her two slightly older siblings. 

Judy gave a thin, relieved smile at hearing not just one, but all three of her siblings. For once Cotton’s restlessness proved to be a blessing, causing Judy’s anxiety to deflate.

_ W- we're all here. We- we’re safe…  _

A sentiment that was supported when Nick’s paw pulled gently against her back coaxing her to lie back down on his chest. Her fox, if only for a second, purred as he held her, he sounded as relieved and happy as she felt!

They were altogether, they were warm and sleeping by a small fire… They-

_ We’re home _ !… 

For a fleeting moment Judy believed it too. Believed that maybe it had really all just been a bad dream.

Believed that everything she experienced had just been the worst nightmare in the history of nightmares. Believed that the wolves, both the dangerous one that had hurt her, and the kit she had failed to protect were just dreams she had conjured up in her fears. 

Perhaps they were just nightmares she could pray away or wait to ebb into obscurity and never haunt her again. 

It was a flimsy, foolish belief. 

A house of straw that needed little more than a touch to knock over and destroy.

A touch that came when she went to wipe the relieved tears from her face and recoiled at the stinging sensation on her cheek. 

The shock and pain caused her to gasp, and her eyes watched the look of shame, and hurt form on Nick’s face as his ears splayed to the side and his muzzle downturned into a contrite frown.

Something was terribly wrong.

And in her heart, she already knew what it was.

Her paw slowly and carefully resettled on a poorly attached cloth on her cheek. Just from a cursory sweep of her fingers she could tell how hastily it had been adhered, most likely done in a hurry. A crusty and congealed mess of a substance had oozed out from under the patch and had dried into her fur. It was clear now what she had smelled when she was wrapped up in Nick’s shirt, it was her blood. 

_ Maybe, maybe there was an accident? _ She was kidding herself, still avoiding the reality she had thought she avoided. She knew exactly what it was.

Her fingers, as shaky as they were, eventually removed the sticky cloth from her face to find the truth. They outlined three sore crevices overlaying where her previous hidden scars had been. However, these ones were brazenly obvious, much deeper, and with widths much larger than anything a fox could’ve ever done. 

A testament to an event that most decidedly was  _ not  _ a dream.

And as if to add insult to her injury, the smoldering coals in the fireplace popped and resettled drawing the jumpy doe back to the den around her. The previous hypnotic effect the fire had, now sparked a new realization as she stared.

_ Wh-where’s Nick’s stuff? _

The cookware that Nick perpetually kept by his fireplace was absent from the glow of the coals, and as she looked around so too was his sewing table. Slowly, her eyes finally roved their way back to her fox in hopes of stability. It was then that she finally noticed why she had been sleeping on his chest… they weren’t even lying in a bed. She was on her fox, the kits were sleeping on his tail with a blanket over them, but he was laying flat on this den’s dirt floor… 

This place was almost completely barren, and looked to be unused for a number of years.

_ This isn’t our home…  _

No, this was somewhere entirely different. She looked at him for answers, for stability, for something other than the truth.

But her fox could only give her an apologetic stare.

The truth of what happened finally became clear to Judy. They were alive and they didn’t lose each other… but they did lose their home.

Her lip quivered and her paws soon covered her eyes again. She hadn’t worn rose-colored glasses since she was a teen, but now as she sat in the darkness… the world had turned several shades darker again. Reality was cruel. 

Solace only came when those familiar, kind paws wrapped around her frame entirely, accompanied with soothing hums. They didn’t take away that pain, but they were present with her through it.

Nick held his rabbit tightly as he sat up and leaned against the wall to his back. He was careful not to move too much and disturb the sleeping kits curled together with his tail. Karma knew they didn’t need to hear all of this as he and Judy worked though their traumas. 

He watched quietly as she came to grips, offering what physical support he could. 

To watch her suffer like this was killing him, but he knew there wasn’t any way he could shield her from it. He had followed her eyes when she surveyed the den, he watched her face fall when she realized this wasn’t their home. He knew because when he first entered this familiar and empty domicile his face had fallen too.

He knew this was so much to take in, and he hadn’t even had a chance to explain what had happened after they escaped, or where they actually were now. 

It wouldn’t matter if he did. Presently, Judy’s mind was just realizing something that was far worse to her than losing their den… 

‘ _ Promise? _ ’ The doe folded in on herself as the wolf kit’s hopeful voice spoke in her head. The memories of the kit that she had hugged and held and told that everything would be okay came back in full force. 

She had tried her best and it hadn’t been enough, a bitter truth that tore at her soul.

Nick whined in distress the moment he saw his rabbit’s paws go to pull her ears over her eyes. Judy roughly crushed the appendages in a way he absolutely hated, all in an effort to block out the memory of a little pup nuzzling into her side for comfort.

Sadly, for Judy, blocking her vision did nothing to stop the painful images that sharpened in her mind. Nor did squeezing her ears silence the kit’s whimpering and pleas.

Her tears began soaking the fur around her eyes as well as her ears. It was too real, something that deserves to only live in fiction and tales; the wolf attack, almost losing her family, and the one they left behind… 

_ “Antony…”  _

With a single word, the name of a wolf kit, the dam holding back whatever semblance of control Judy had on her emotions broke.

_ “We left him.”  _ She whispered ashamedly.

The pain she caused by squeezing her ears was negligible to the pain in her heart. Still, at the pleading vulpine whines and the tender paws trying to ease her grip, she allowed her fingers to loosen. Gently, her fox took the appendages out of her paws. She knew he wasn’t going to allow her to hurt herself like that again. So, she clung to him for dear life instead.

Quietly, Nick began that rhythmic and tender petting along her ears as she sobbed into his chest fur. Small circles of scritches worked to soothe the mammal the fox called his mate. He winced a bit when her own paws found purchase, holding tightly to the fur on his chest, but was overall grateful when she let him stop her from hurting herself like that. 

The whole scene was not unlike their first night together. The night she had wandered outside and heard the howling of the wolves and cried an ocean of tears at the loss of her family. Wolves had taken nearly everything from her that night, and just yesterday wolves had come back to take whatever else they could. This time it had been their home, and a young innocent kit they so desperately wanted to help. 

But they couldn’t do it all. They just couldn’t.

Even so, Nick already knew she wasn’t seeing it that way. Just like with her family, he knew what she would do, and he couldn’t stand by and let her believe such a destructive thought.

“It wasn’t your fault, Carrots…” He was tearful as he conveyed that message, “Please don’t blame yourself for this too.” His voice raised in a new degree of desperation, “You can’t do that- you can’t do that to yourself again. I won’t let you.” 

His paws stilled on her ears, and he held her against his chest as he rocked back and forth slightly. In his eyes, she had done everything she could to protect the poor kit. The blood that soaked into his clothes and fur as he had carried her away from the den was a testament to that. 

Even so, Judy didn’t say anything. Instead, in her head, she wrestled with his words. 

_ How could he say that? How could he not think it's my fault? I’m supposed to make the world a better place, and I couldn’t even help one kit! _

She couldn’t see it as anyone’s fault but hers. She had bonded with the canine kit, and he had looked to her for comfort and protection. She had been the one to get injured, to get knocked out of the fight. She was responsible! She-

“If anyones to blame… it’s me…” 

She stopped in her tracks at what her fox just said.

Nick felt the lump in his throat grow in size and pain. 

Shakily, Judy looked up, disbelief and hurt marring her features. She knew what he said wasn’t true.

“Why would you think that, Nick? You didn-”

The answer came before she could even finish,

“I- I couldn’t lose you and the kits.” He choked up at the thought of such a thing, and certainly she related. He barreled through his explanation, anxiety and anger at himself starting to flicker in his voice. “The poison that stupid weasel gave me didn’t even work! That wolf was going to kill you, Carrots. He was going to kill you and the kits and- and- I was so scared I’d lose my family.”

The tod leaned his muzzle down to nuzzle the top of her head as he finished, “I couldn’t lose you guys,” He said dejectedly, “You were so badly hurt, a-and when Antony started to push us away from the next wolf that attacked, I-” 

He choked up again as he forced out the words he dreaded. 

“I ran.”

_ I ran _ … He was crushed by that, and for a second, the fox found himself standing back in the tunnel with the wolves.

**-0-0- Back in the tunnel -0-0-**

A distressed Vulpine whine filled the tunnel. The hateful grey wolf may have been gone, but his rabbit,  _ his everything _ , was hurt. Nick could feel his shirt and fur warm with her blood, could feel her body go limp and her grip on him weaken.

He wasn’t the only one. Despite how badly Antony’s paw was slashed from the new cut by his brother, his entire focus was on the two mammals underneath his muzzle and sheltered by his comparatively larger arms.

The little wolf whimpered, and with his nose touched Nick’s shoulder where Judy’s head rested. He never had friends before, never felt the pain of someone you were close to being so badly hurt. Antony watched helplessly as the fox gently rocked back and forth in his grip, stroking Judy’s ears, and whispering through tears that everything would be okay. 

Despite what his new friends had told him, it didn’t feel like it would be okay. NOTHING about this felt okay anymore. 

The pup gave a tentative lick to the top of Judy’s head, so unable and powerless to do anything for the rabbit that had shown him the open love he had never felt before.

The only way things would be okay like Judy promised is if they were ALL okay. It wouldn’t be okay if he was fine but his friends were hurt. 

Antony needed to do something, he needed to get them help, but how? When was his father going to come in and help him like he always did?

The answer for help came in the middle of his lick. A shout at the entrance of the tunnel,

“Antony, pup!”

It wasn’t his father, as much as the pup wished it would’ve been. But it was someone who he  _ knew _ would help. Someone that would listen to him!

_ Mister Wolford!  _

Relief washed over Antony. Mister Wolford was kind to him, and would help his friends. Maybe he could make everything better again!

Antony didn’t notice how tense the fox underneath him had gotten at the shout. He was too focused on the wolf entering the widened entrance of the den. The pup smiled happily, despite every terrible wound both physical and emotional covering him. A smile that for a split second was reflected by the brown wolf coming into view… A smile that for some reason morphed first into a look of horror and then into total and complete rage.

Wolford hadn’t known what he would come face to face with, didn’t know exactly what to expect. He was just happy Antony was alive. And the second he saw those soft, naive eyes staring back at him he couldn’t help but smile. 

It lasted all but a second.

His eyes settled on the terrible state of the injured pup. The boy was battered, bleeding from a fresh gash on his paw, and with white fur stained crimson from who knows what other injuries. It was a sight that sickened his stomach, a sight that brought a zealousness that demanded those responsible for the poor pup’s state to pay. Marcus wouldn’t get away with this and neither would-

Wolford’s eyes slipped down to movement beneath the pup’s muzzle and against his neck, A splotch of blazen red and steel grey,

“The desecrator.”

He growled instinctively, and even after seeing Antony grow uncomfortable he continued. 

He hadn’t expected to see that damn longears alive after all of this, and to see it and the redtail still trying to hurt the pup was just too much.

His face contorted into one that wouldn’t have been out of place on the wolf he just pulled out of the tunnel. Eyes burning with rage, and with his top lip pulled back to display his sharp teeth to the mammal that had taken his friend. He wanted blood.

“I’LL KILL YOU, RABBIT!”

A brown paw launched forward to snatch the two inferior mammals from the tunnel. The tawny brown wolf in his fury didn’t even notice the screaming from the pup he entered the tunnel to save, the shouts and pleads to,

“NO! Stop! They’re my friends!”

Nick braced for impact, he couldn’t move away from the pup even if he wanted to. He wouldn’t be quick enough. He held his rabbit as tightly as he could, apologizing silently into her ears for failing them. For not being strong enough, for-

He felt paws grab him, but not the paws he had been expecting. The white paws of the kit pulled him roughly backwards and away, before shoving him to the pup’s side and away from the wolf trying to do them harm. With his body, the pup was shielding him and his rabbit.

“Go!” Nick heard the kit shout, “Don’t let her get hurt!” The kit was already racking with sobs, and sounded as if he would lose everything in the world if he simply lost the sweet, little rabbit that had held him through all this.

The sounds of fierce yelling from the attacker, and the kit being pushed and pulled back and forth filled the fox’s ears, along with pleads- some to him and some to the brown wolf. 

The one that caught Nick’s ears the strongest came as the kit for just a second turned his face to look at them with tears in his eyes, “Everything’s going to be okay, j-just be safe!”

The fox held his own tears as he turned around one last time and locked eyes with the pup. Simultaneously, both not even realizing what the other was saying, whispered a silent,

“Thank you.”

**-0-0- Back to Present -0-0-**

In short, The brave wolf kit told him to run and to save Judy, and had pushed him down the tunnel as far as he could before blocking the way with his body. It was as if the wolf kit had been as desperate to protect them as they had been to protect him. 

Nick, as torn as he was, didn’t argue with the pup. Full speed, he ran back to the den. He took off his shirt, wrapped his dazed and nearly unconscious bunny in it tightly, picked up their supply bag, the basket of kits and his rabbit… And-

_ “I ran, Judy! I ran like a scared little kit all the way back to my parent’s home!” _

He traveled across the river, from one landmark to another, through the heavy blizzard all the way back to the home he abandoned after his parents had died.

He had done what he had to do, but the guilt was still there. Because, In the end,

“I left the kit behind. You didn’t!” He frowned bitterly at the doe he was holding, willing her to realize it hadn’t been her fault but his. 

He felt the tears well up in his own eyes.  _ “ _ Don’t you get it?! I ran _ … like a fox would. _ ”

The thought came from the darkest corner of his mind. His parents told him to be  _ more _ than what his species was known for, and yet he left a kit behind. He let evil win.

He betrayed everything he stood for. Everything that supposedly made him different from what others saw him as… from what Judy saw him as. 

He waited for her to get up from his lap. For her to see exactly what he was and to push him away. To stop  _ trusting _ him. 

But that moment didn’t come. Judy simply cried her eyes out a little longer, and at his confession… she hugged his heaving chest. To her, it wasn’t fair.  _ She _ was supposed to be the one to carry this. She was the one who got hurt from something like that- 

_ Like a rabbit would.  _ She thought.

She didn’t want him to carry that weight. In her eyes, how he saw his actions was irrational. She couldn’t let him believe it was his fault. She looked up and gently grabbed his muzzle, pulling him to meet her gaze. 

Wet violets and hurt greens locked in a moment of shared pain, guilt and sorrow. 

Timid, watery words came from the grey doe’s muzzle, 

“Y-you did the best you could Nick… you saved us! You didn’t want to leave him, but you didn’t want to lose your family. Y-you did the right thing.” 

It was true. Without him, the reality she thought she woke up to  _ would _ have happened. She would’ve been the one to wake up and see that she lost her whole family again. If she would’ve woke up at all.

She whispered sincerely, not able to draw strength in her vocal chords after crying so hard, 

“It’s not your fault…”

The same as he had told her. And as she spoke, Judy realized how much she was contradicting her own guilt in failing to rescue the wolf kit. It became glaringly obvious that her fox was telling her the same thing for the same reason… She couldn’t blame herself without blaming her fox.

She wouldn’t let him hold that guilt, just as he wouldn’t let her take it. So, with a heart still contrite for the wolf and for her fox, she said what she  _ knew _ was true, even if she didn’t feel it, 

“It’s not your fault,  _ either _ .”

_ Either _ . She admitted she didn’t hold responsibility, and strangely the word freed her. Yes, she still felt sorry, still felt the pain and guilt of it all, but she had done her best. She had tried. 

Needily, Nick’s arms brought her in for a closer hug and his muzzle went to her neck to find comfort in her scent. She did the same to his chest fur, and for a long moment they sat there like that. 

Silently, with whispers, comforts and affirmation, they worked through what had happened. They talked through the terrible event in its entirety, every detail from when she fell unconscious to him trekking all the way here. By the end of it they were spent, but reached a conclusion for what they would do next.

_ “We’ll do this together too?” _ She whispered, asking for agreeance. 

He nodded his head happily. It made sense. Before everything went sideways, they had planned to spend every night after the kits went to bed to talk and get to know each other. And together they had already shattered his loneliness, broken through her feelings of worthlessness, and took care of Ollie, Ashes, and Cotton. 

They would muddle through this trauma paw-in-paw too.

_ “We make a great team, fluff.”  _ The fox whispered, a still wistful but growing smile forming as the weight of guilt lifted ever so much.

Judy huffed a tiny laugh as she wiped her tears with his fur, not bothering to move her face from his undercoat or apologize for the action. 

For the longest time they sat there, making peace with everything that had occured. They would get through this because ultimately they had something, or rather  _ someone _ , they could rely on… Someone they could-

The fox broke the silence, “I love you, Carrots. I love you more than anything.”

Someone they could  _ Love _ . 

He squeezed her tighter. Finally, he had gotten the chance to return the words she had said when she kissed him before running out to protect them from the wolves. A weepy, but relieved smile settled on the fox’s muzzle.

She looked up from his chest, locking eyes with her fox again. His sincerity wasn’t clouded by the pain they went through, if anything it was sharpened. Her heart jumped at his affirmation.

_ He loves me. _

She was sure of it before, he had even told her so in other contexts. But to hear it so plainly and just by itself was different. She inhaled his violet scent, the fragrance that told her she was home, even though they were in a strange, musty and empty den. 

_ As long as we’re together, we’re always home.  _ She remembered.

Her paws reached up and settled on the sides of his muzzle. He sighed at the contact, reveling in how she held him. He didn’t even realize that she was pulling him closer to her. With closing, contented eyes and shaky breath, their lips met. 

It wasn’t chaste, nor was it lustful. No, this was a seal forged from their shared emotions and hardened by the fires of their promises to one another. They were kindred spirits pulling at each other’s lips the same way they did to each other's souls: with reassurance, understanding, love for their partner, and the desire to give every bit of themselves to each other.

And when the moment was over and they separated, Nick rested his muzzle on top of her head. He breathed hard to catch his breath the same as his bunny. A single thought controlled him.  _ She’s my- _

_ Mate.  _ Judy mentally claimed, just the same as her fox had in his head.

Judy felt so much of him surrounding her. His heart beating in his chest, the fur of his neck against her fingers, his breath lightly patting against her ears… She had lost so much, she wouldn’t lose this too. 

_ ‘I’ll never let you go.’  _ She remembered him saying. She loved when he had said it, and now she wanted to say the same. __

_ I won’t either, Nick. I won't let you go. _

She pulled his resting muzzle from her head and back to her lips again, but this time not for a kiss.  With the underside of her chin, Judy swiped along the sides of the fox’s muzzle. Thoroughly, she traced her scent glands in her chin along the sides of his face before continuing down to his throat. 

She had made her choice.

And so did he.

The bunny he had imprinted on, the girl he had emotionally given himself to, the doe he had no business loving to the extent that he did, just  _ marked _ him. 

Strong wafts of fresh rain danced in the air around intoxicatingly. Soon, the scent of violets sharpened in the air as well. With the side of his neck he covered and rubbed the top of her head and the base of her ears. And gently, as he watched her blush from the contact with her ears, he surprised her again as he rubbed the sides of her face with the scent glands on his wrists.

_ I want you. Scars and all.  _ That was the message he meant by that. And when she shed a stray tear from that gesture, another promise was remembered. The fox carefully leaned in and licked the wet trail from her cheek, renewing the promise he had made to be there to take her tears away. When she was clean, he pulled away and their eyes met again,

“If you’ll have a fox like me, Judy…” 

He sighed as he fought to make another promise, part of him  _ knowing _ that a fox like him was inadequate, and another part hoping that he could one day rise to the mammal his parents wanted him to be again, 

“I can’t promise that life will be easy, that I’ll be the best fit for you since I’m not a rabbit, or… even that we’ll always be safe…” He winced, he couldn’t do or be any of that, and she deserved it all. “...But I can promise that I’ll always be by your side, and that I’ll love you and Cotton and Ashes and Ollie, and that I’ll try my best to make your worlds a better place like you have mine.” 

She sniffled as she listened to him. The doubt that clouded Nick’s eyes had filled her own for so long. She had thought earlier that she had failed at making the world a better place, but from Nick’s own words that pain was quelled. Only now in a moment of clarity, when it was all laid out in front of her, did the clouds of doubt part from her own eyes and she could see him so perfectly clearly… 

The self-doubt and guilt he was feeling for being a fox, although understandable, was misplaced. And she would make sure he knew that. 

Judy pulled him into another long kiss, tenderly meeting every doubt he had with acceptance for who he was. Her smaller lips fought to show him just how much she wanted this too, how much she saw his value, and how much she would fight to show him what she saw.

And when they broke the kiss, and with both their lungs still panting for air, she responded, 

“Slick, that’s all I could ever want.” 

It felt like ages since she had used her nickname for him. Now, just as then, it was when he was being simultaneously charming and not so smooth. 

_ When he’s being my fox. _ She thought.

There wasn’t a hint of deception or hesitation on her lips, or in the way she held him. When it came from her, he knew it was true.

However, there was still a dreg of doubt causing the fox to frown. One last holdout that had refused to disappear since he had run from their home, leaving the poor wolf pup behind. He knew they had promised to shoulder each other’s burdens, but the incident had brought an ugly belief about  _ who  _ he was back into his mind, a thought he had battled since childhood… 

“Even though I'm just a fox?” 

His voice was saddened by what he was. A predator. A sneaky, sly fox that wouldn’t hesitate to kill a prey… 

A _ monster _ , a beaver from his childhood screamed.

Just saying the nasty statement brought out his anxiety. The fear that just pointing out the truth of what he was would make Judy come to her senses and want to leave. 

Judy looked up at him and with all seriousness raised her voice, “Nick, you are so much more than that.” 

Nick was about to respond when they were interrupted by a loud shout,

“Yeah!” 

Both Nick and Judy’s attention sharply turned towards his tail, where three long sets of ears stuck out from the blanket they were wrapped up in. Two sets of brown eyes were glaring at the golden eyed rabbit that had given them away. It had been the sandy brown doe kit that had accidentally revealed the watching rabbits, but in her defense… she couldn’t help it. Not when Mister Nick felt bad.

“How long have you guys been listening in?” Judy asked firmly, despite her ears tinging red.

Cotton looked bashful as she climbed out of the blanket, “S-since you guys kissed the second time…”

“How would you know it was the second-

The fox was cut off when Cotton jumped in his lap and nestled herself by her older sister. She smiled at Judy (not even the scars would make her see her sister differently,) before looking up at him.

Quickly changing the subject Cotton told the fox exactly what she thought, “You’re not mean or scary like those wolves are, Mister Nick. Y-you love us and we love you!” The sandy brown doe, with as much strength her tiny arms had, gave the biggest, strongest hug she ever had given to the fox. “It doesn’t matter that you’re a fox.”

“And you sing to us like Momma used to,” A grey buck bashfully voiced as he crawled from the blanket and up to the fox’s side to also hug him.

“A-and you kept us safe, a-and found Judy!” The speckled, white doe added, as she followed her brother to the same spot to hug the fox.

Nick was being hit by all sides, disallowed from feeling the self-doubt of being a predator. Of being a fox.

_ They see me.  _

They did. They saw him for who he was, whether he liked it or not.

Judy grabbed one of the stunned fox’s paws and pulled it between them. He watched as she played with the pads of his paw for a second, giving it a smile before carefully pulling it up to the side of her face, resting her injured cheek against the smooth, leathery appendages.

He was breathless as he watched her. She had every right to be afraid of his claws now, and honestly so did the kits. What had happened to her with that wolf had left her so badly hurt, and yet… 

She and the three kits all looked at him with warming smiles, arms unrelenting as they held him with love. 

In her head Judy recounted the days she had spent with him, as short as it was there had been so much to happen. And his claws had been a part of it all. To this rabbit or her siblings, it didn’t matter  _ what  _ he was, or that he had claws and sharp teeth. What mattered was who he had been to them. 

And for Judy, he had been everything opposite of what she had originally thought. 

_ Kind.  _ He had saved her siblings, had forgiven her for injuring him, had provided for the kits in every way, and had given them a home. Even now he was pulling Cotton a little bit closer to his chest, causing her to giggle as his fluffy fur hit her nose.

_ Brave. _ He fought for them. He hadn’t shied away from their problems and did everything he could to keep them safe. That’s why Judy could see the little spark in Ollie’s eye when she looked up at the fox from his side. Judy would have competition for being the white doe’s hero from now on it seemed.

_ Loving.  _ He loved them all. Unconditionally. And that’s why Ashes sat there, mouth opening and closing, wanting to ask if the fox would sing them that song they grew so accustomed to. Judy smiled, they were certainly all each other’s sunshine.

She felt the thumb of his paw wipe another forming tear from her eye. She had gotten caught up in her thoughts about him. She smiled and nestled a little more against his paw as she watched his muzzle approach her lips again.

They weren’t perfect. They couldn’t fix everything, and perhaps they couldn’t change the world. 

But they could change each other’s worlds. 

They could change the worlds of these kits that huddled around them… And perhaps, one day in the future, together they could change the worlds of others too… Maybe even someone like that wolf kit.

Because, even though they weren’t the strongest or most powerful, even though they were both small and finite, they both would  _ try _ . 

Because, she’s more than just a timid rabbit, __

_ And he’s- _

Judy smiled into the kiss with her mate as the kits made sounds of faux disgust and muffled giggles,

_ More than a fox. _

**_-Fin-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thank you to everyone who has read this to its conclusion. I decided to go ahead and call this as the official end of the story, but still plan on doing an epilogue (probably just one very big one!). The epilogue will explain what will happen with the wolf pack and Antony, where Judy and Nick go from here, and as some have mentioned… perhaps the very early foundations of a certain society. :) 
> 
> It’s been a long ride, and I thank everyone who’s kept up with this story! I plan on having credits, inspirations, story notes, and (maybe) plans for my next zootopia fic in the final author’s notes of the story in the epilogue. So, that’s enough yapping from me. I hope everyone has enjoyed this story as much as I have! Much love and I hope you all have a wonderful day and a wonderful 2021. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment anything that may be constructive to helping me improve my writing of the story as I go along :) Appreciate the feedback.


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